Never Expect What You're Expecting
by Nuwanda31
Summary: Reid and Riley are just weeks away from being parents. When a family annihilator claims the lives of several Amish families, the BAU travels to rural Pennsylvania to investigate. So close to fatherhood, Reid finds he is greatly affected by this case, finding it difficult to focus, especially when Riley goes into labor early. Pairings: Reid/OFC, Morgan/Prentiss. Reid/Riley Part VI.
1. Worried Father

Summary: Reid and Riley are just weeks away from being parents. For once, everything is going smoothly. Riley is getting ready to start maternity leave, Reid is taking a month leave as soon as the baby's born, and the baby is as healthy as anyone could hope. When a family annihilator strikes several Amish communities in rural Pennsylvania, however, Reid agrees to assist in one last case. So close to being a father, he is greatly affected by this investigation, especially by one little girl, who might be their only hope in finding who slaughtered her family. Reid needs to keep his focus in order to catch this killer, a task that becomes even more difficult when Riley goes into labor early.

Disclaimer: Criminal Minds is the property of CBS, the actors, writers, and producers of the show. I have no authority over anything except original characters.

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_Reid was panting and gasping for breath as he ran, desperate to go faster. He was a hundred feet away, but as he looked down over the top of the hill, he knew he might not get there in time._

"_Riley!" Reid cried. "Riley, run! Get out of there, you're in danger!"_

_She couldn't hear him. Reid didn't know why, the train was still far enough away, though getting closer. Riley stood on the train tracks, her beautiful long raven curls blowing in the whispering wind. She was smiling at the bundle held securely in her arms. The baby – their baby – swaddled in a warm blanket. Even from here, Reid could hear it cooing._

_He could barely breathe, stumbling down on the grassy hill as he tried to get to them in time. They were in danger and didn't even realize. He glanced down the tracks to the puff of smoke heading their way. The train would be here in less than a minute. They had to get away from there. Now!_

_Getting to his feet, Reid started running again, stumbling on the uneven ground. "Riley!" He called, begging for her to hear him. "Get out of there! Get off the tracks! The train is coming!"_

_Still, she couldn't hear. The freight train appeared around the bend, barreling along the path at an impossible speed. Riley was too distracted to care what was around her, just rocking the little baby back to sleep, smiling like the happiest mother in the world._

_Why couldn't she see? The train was right in front of them. It was going to kill his family; he had to get them out of there! He kept running… running… trying to reach the tracks to push them out of the way. He wouldn't be able to pull them off in time, but he could shove them out of harms way and take the hit himself. Their lives were worth more than his._

_He couldn't get there. The train was coming too fast and Reid felt like he was being dragged down in quicksand. He stumbled again, falling to ground and immediately clawing to get back up._

_He looked to the scene unfolding, he watched as his wife finally turned her attention to what was before her. Terror filled her face as she saw the train, coming right for them. She couldn't move, her body trembling with fear._

"_Riley!" Reid yelled, at last getting to his feet, trying to catch up to them. "Run! Just run!"_

_She was frozen with fear, just staring at their impending doom. In the last second of life, Riley spun around, shielding the baby with her own body. She took the full blow as the train struck them, right before Reid's eyes. They were gone in an instant._

"_No!" He screamed in horror, falling to his knees. His cries turned to sobs as he took in what just happened. His entire world, the only two things that truly mattered to him, was lost forever._

"Sir?" A nurse cried as she shook his arm. "Sir, is this your floor?"

Reid gasped as he came back to the present. His mind had wandered while he rode up in the elevator, remembering his recurring nightmare from the last few months. His heart was pounding so hard, like he had really lived it, his brow covered in cold sweat. Panting, he turned to the nurse, watching him with concern.

The doors stood open to the fourth floor, right where Reid was heading. "Yes, thank you." He said, hurrying off into the bright hallway, the smell of disinfectant immediately filling his nose. The nurse continued to watch him with caution until the doors slid shut.

The corridor was quiet, without a soul in sight. A few non-alarming sounds were heard in the distant; a telephone ringing, the chime of a patient's call button, nothing he needed to be concerned about. Reid took this little walk as a time to calm himself down, easing the pain in his chest.

It shouldn't be a surprise he was having nightmares lately. He got them when he felt very overwhelmed, and right now, there was a lot going on in his life. What with buying a new home and all the stress of moving, not to mention traveling all over the country to solve one horrific case after the next, subsequently forcing him to leave his pregnant wife alone all the time. It was no wonder his mind was getting the best of him.

That was over now, though. This morning, upon the BAU's return from New York City, Reid finished his last case for the time being. For the next few weeks, he'd be working cases in Quantico with Garcia, making sure he was home when Riley went into labor. Afterward, he'd be taking a month's paternity leave, and he was greatly looking forward to that. Just four weeks alone with his wife while they bonded with their newborn baby, whom he couldn't wait to meet.

Soon, very soon, his baby would be here. They'd finally be a family, something both he and Riley were getting more excited about every day. As nervous as he was, thinking about his child relieved his nerves, making feel much more relaxed. Just in time, too. He was approaching Exam Room 5 at the end of the hall, getting a glimpse of the patient through the window.

Riley was laying on the exam table, waiting for the doctor. She was passing the time reading a book. He couldn't see the title. Stephen King's latest thriller, if he had to take a guess. She looked tired, but very relaxed, dressed comfortably in sweats and a Harvard maternity hoodie, which happened to be a gift from Hotch last Christmas. While one hand kept the book steady at eye level, the other gently stroked along the curve of her plump, overgrown stomach, right where their baby grew. For just a moment, he stared at her lovingly, his nightmares the furthest from his mind.

He pushed opened the door, startling Riley who sat up eagerly. Perhaps she'd been expecting the doctor, because she seemed a bit surprised as her husband stepped in, smiling at her joyfully. His go bag in one hand, a white box tied with string in the other.

Her eyes sparkled as she gasped, "You made it!"

"Of course I made it. I told I would." He said, hurrying over to her. She set her book aside as he reached her, leaning down to give her an adoring kiss.

It lasted nearly half a minute before they parted. Riley smiled as she brushed his cheek. "I missed you."

"I missed you, too." He uttered, unable to stop himself taking another kiss, which she accepted wholeheartedly.

Even though she knew she had a long way to go, Riley felt in a constant panic when Spencer was gone. She had been since the beginning of her last trimester. Maybe it was silly, but the idea of going into labor without him by her side terrified her. She couldn't stand the thought of going through it alone.

But that was over now. She still had over two weeks to go and now, he was home permanently for the predictable future. He would be there when she went through labor and by her side when she gave birth, right there with her to welcome their child. There was nothing to be scared of now.

As their second kiss ended, Reid smiled as his hand landed on her engorged belly. He went over to place a kiss on the top of the bump, caressing it lovingly. "Hey in there. Daddy's home."

A few solid kicks responded to his voice, brining joyful chuckles out of both of them. Riley had a suspicion the baby could sense when someone was talking to it, and enjoyed it immensely, especially when it was her or Spencer.

He kept petting along the curve with great affection. As strange as the feel was, he couldn't get enough of it. That gentle flutter was a lot less disturbing when it was his baby. "Such a strong little thing."

"It's definitely got your long legs." Riley teased with a smile as Reid took one of the seats beside her. "It keeps kicking me constantly, I've barely gotten any sleep."

He could feel his own fatigue setting in as he gave a yawn. A nap before dinner sounded just the ticket for both of them when they got home. As tired as he was, Reid couldn't help but give a smile as he leaned back in his seat. He was starting to feel better and better now that he was back. The very idea that he got to spend so much time at home seemed like paradise.

"Other than tired, how are you feeling?" Reid wondered, reaching over to take her closest hand.

Her other rested on her stomach as she let out a sigh. "Well, my back starts aching at the most inconvenient times, my ankles are so swollen. The baby moves around constantly and I think it turned my bladder into a squeeze toy, not to mention getting out of my seat is turning into an Olympic sport."

"That all seems relatively normal." Reid said casually.

"Thanks for the sympathy, Dear." She muttered with a playful glare.

Reid smirked with empathy, "I just mean it doesn't sound like anything except healthy pregnancy symptoms. I always worry about you when I'm away… and I know you, if something's wrong and I'm not there, you'd keep it from me." As she opened her mouth to argue, he added, "Only to keep me from getting distracted, I know, but it is true. You've done it before."

He was right. Her own history was against her, not that he'd never done the same thing. "Well, your home now. Anything that happens now, we'll go through it together … and good thing, there's so much left to do. We have to finish the nursery, we haven't even decided on a name yet."

"We don't even know what we're having yet." Reid pointed out. "But it would be nice to have some ideas." He gave her hand a warm squeeze, reaching with his opposite to rest on her other on her bump. "Don't worry, we're going to get it all done. We have nearly three weeks left and you shouldn't worrying about anything. You just relax and let your husband take care of you."

Her eyes landed on the white box in the adjoining seat. "Speaking of which, did you bring me something?"

Suddenly remembering, Reid turned and grabbed the parcel, quickly undoing the string. "I got these this morning for you, from that bakery you really like in Little Italy."

The tie loosened, he handed the box over and let her open them. The smell of the pastries wafted over her, already making her monstrous appetite swoon. Two large apple fritters lay inside the wax paper, the golden brown sugar glistening on top.

She wished she could reach in for one now, but the doctor was due any minute. Reluctantly, she closed the lid, handing the box back. "Thank you so much, I'll have one on the way home."

"I know how much the baby loves apples." Reid said with a smile as he set the package back in its spot. "I am wondering, though… if there's any chance I can convince you to… go back on our little arrangement?"

Her smile disappeared as Riley cried at once, having been arguing this for months on end. "Spencer, you promised we would be surprised!"

"It would be just as much a surprise if we found out now!" He insisted, a hopeful glint in his eye. The mystery of their baby's gender was like a constant nuisance to Reid. Boy or girl, he had no preference, but he was desperate to know either way. He was constantly reading and asking people ways to tell for himself, but the more scientific ways were still not entirely accurate. Most were just old wives' tales. It might be just three weeks, but it was three weeks too long in his opinion.

Riley, however, who had become even more unbelievably stubborn in her condition, would not yield. "No. I want us to wait. Think about how wonderful it will be in the delivery room. You'll be one of the first people to lay eyes on our child, ever… and you'll see for yourself."

It did sound pretty amazing, almost like something out of a story. "I just hate calling it 'it' all the time."

She couldn't help but laugh. "It won't be long now. You can wait three weeks, can't you? It's not even a whole month."

It felt like a lifetime, but with a smile, he nodded. He would wait, and in the end, it would be so worth it.

At that moment, the door opened, bringing a third person into the room. Reid stood to greet the new arrival who wore green scrubs and a long white lab coat.

For someone with so many accomplishments, Reid had expected Dr. Edward Franklin be bit older. Not that he was one to judge the difference between one's age and career accomplishments. He was the personification of being overqualified for his age. The man had come highly recommended as well, but it didn't matter to Reid if he had the best reputation in the country with decades of experience. He was in charge of the health and welfare of the two things Reid truly loved, one of which was too weak and fragile to defend itself. He would watch this man like a hawk, and question his every move if need be.

"Riley Reid," he exclaimed with a smile as his eyes landed on his patient. "Good to see you, how are you feeling today?"

"About the same as last week," Carefully, she struggled to pull herself up into a more seated position. "Dr. Franklin, this is my husband Spencer. You two haven't met yet."

Immediately, Reid could tell this man really cared about his work. Only one who did would be so friendly to his patients and their families. Turning to Reid, Franklin offered his hand, giving a smile. "Hi, Spencer it's nice to meet you."

"You as well," Reid answered politely, though still wary of the man. He might have been friendly, but it was common knowledge the majority of medical doctors were mainly concerned was dollar signs.

"Riley's told me a lot about you," He said kindly. "I'm glad we finally got to meet, I know how new fathers can often feel detached and removed, so I'd like to be able to include you in this process as much as I can."

"I appreciate that." Reid answered. Perhaps it was lucky that was Franklin's wish. He may mistake his questioning attitude as his desire to be involved.

Franklin removed his lab coat, hanging it up on the hook behind the door before going over to wash his hands. Reid took his seat again. Like a magnet, his hand attached to Riley's at once, clinging to her. She met his eyes and saw his anxiety in them at once, worried over something she wasn't even sure he knew about.

"So Riley tells me you work for the FBI like her." Franklin stated as he ripped off a few sheets of paper towels, drying his now sanitized hands. "Do you work together?"

"Not usually." He explained. "I'm an agent, with the Behavioral Analysis Unit."

Sitting down on his metal stool, Franklin opened Riley's medical chart, reading over the notes the Practitioner's Assistant had made when she first arrived. "Behavioral Analysis Unit… that sounds complicated. What do you do there?"

"I'm a… profiler." Reid clarified. As the years went by, he became more and more uncomfortable explaining his job to people. Everyone always responded with a similar attitude. The normal was suspicion and disgust as to why a person would choose to study that, day in and day out. Of course, the ones who were a little too enthusiastic about it were the ones that really bothered him. Either way, he wasn't thrilled with the response.

"I thought all FBI agents used a certain amount of profiling." Franklin mentioned as he glanced up.

"They do," Reid assured, "but the BAU perfected the process. Me and my team mainly focuses on highly extreme cases, most of which are time sensitive…"

Franklin appeared confused and Riley immediately explained. "Spencer and his team focus mainly on serial killers. They travel all around the country to assist local police studying and catching the killers to ensure minimal damage."

"Wow," Franklin said, who wasn't exactly expecting that. "Seems like you've got to be some kind of a genius to work there."

At that, Reid couldn't help but blush and smile. Riley giggled as well as he answered. "Not exactly… but it helps."

Satisfied with the chart, Franklin set it aside. "Everything looks really good, Riley, I'm very pleased with how this is progressing. Your weight is just where I would like it, I see no reason to adjust your diet. Your sugar levels are normal, there's nothing to be worried about there. Let's just do a quick exam and then we'll do your sonogram."

A quick exam? Reid did not like the sound of that. "Shouldn't you be a little more thorough?"

Both Franklin and Riley looked to her husband. "Spencer, he is being thorough. He doesn't need to run a full physical on me every time I come in."

"But what if something's wrong?" Reid wondered, turning to the doctor. "You could be missing something that could life threatening to both of them. There are so many conditions that don't present with symptoms until it's nearly too late. Preeclampsia, anemia, gestational diabetes. Perhaps she forgot to mention, or simply chose not to, but Riley suffered a car accident when she was eight weeks along. It is rare, I know, but it could cause serious repercussions to the fetus. And that kind of stress can create irreversible damage to Riley's system-"

"Spencer!" Riley cried, cutting him off.

"What?" He wondered, catching her eye, speaking as if he had no idea he just went over the line.

Dr. Franklin, however, took all this in stride. Instead of getting offended, he simply smiled and said, in a very easing tone, "Someone certainly did his research. Riley did mention the car accident to me, in fact she's reminded me of it several times. I've been on the lookout for signs it's done damage and haven't even seen a clue that there might be one. Your wife is in incredible health, as well. I'm reading over the results from my PA's exam before I came in and everything is just as I'd like it. Her blood pressure is steady and even, so there's no sign of hypertension or Preeclampsia. As I said, her sugar levels have been normal since her fifth month, so there's no chance of her developing diabetes, and I did notice a few months ago there was a bit of an iron deficiency so, to prevent the occurrence of anemia, I put her on a supplement. Everything looks fine now."

Reid hadn't known about that. Looking to his wife, "Why didn't you tell me about the iron deficiency?"

Immediately, she cried, "It wasn't anything serious. You were away in Portland. I was going to tell you, but by the time you got back, I… forgot about it."

That was exactly what he meant earlier, and normally he would have urgently pointed it out, which no doubt would have lead them into a full fledge argument, but the last thing he wanted was to upset her by yelling at her. He let the subject drop. Nodding, he answered, "I see."

"I know it's a lot to deal with, but Riley is in great health. And, if you just let me finish checking her over, I will show you what kind of condition your baby's in." The doctor said kindly.

Reid agreed. Quietly, he sat back in his chair, not releasing Riley's hand. He tried to evade her eyes for a moment, but it was like telling a moth to keep away from the burning flame of a candle. As he met her gentle brown eyes, filled with a diamond dust that seemed to sparkle even brighter these days, he caught an expression of both amazement and disbelief.

"I'm allowed to be concerned." He whispered, though in this quiet room, he may as well have been shouting.

"You're being obsessed!" Riley spoke in a hushed tone. "I know it's just because you care, but you need to relax before you burst a blood vessel in that humungous brain of yours."

She pulled her hand from his to brush his cheek, and while he didn't smile, he did appear less fretful. Leaning forward, one hand stroked her belly while he leaned to press another kiss to her. Nothing was going to stand in the way of taking care of his family. He would always be there when they needed him.

Dr. Franklin ran his exam, listening to Riley's heart and lungs, checking her abdomen for any signs of obvious distress or preterm labor. Once finished, he wrote down a few notes, picking up the tape measure and asked, "Have you been doing your Kick Count?"

"It averages about 30 movements every 2 hours." Riley explained, guiding sweatshirt up to reveal her swollen tummy. Dr. Franklin took a few seconds to measure, nodding with approval and writing the findings into the log. Finished, he helped Riley lie back down and retook his seat.

He grabbed the tube of conductive gel and squirted a generous amount on the curve. She shuddered slightly as the cold sensation struck her. "I see it doesn't like to sleep much." He said with a smile. "Now, before we get started, both of you wish to for the baby's identity to remain secret, yes?"

It took a lot for Reid to keep his mouth shut at that, but he'd already upset Riley enough, he didn't want to push her further and make her distressed. He left it to her to answer.

"That's right, we want to be surprised." She said joyfully.

"Okay, no problem." Franklin said, and with that grabbed the transducer. He started moving it over Riley's stomach, and Reid couldn't help but think of the first time he watched this happen. How nervous he'd been, trying his best to stay strong, expecting the worst to come. Now he was just trying to keep calm, all his instincts telling him everything was fine, he was just being paranoid.

Today was the first time Reid was witnessing the sonogram since Vegas. He'd seen the screenshots of every one since, but because he was out of town for every visit for the last six months, he'd never had another chance. It was a much different sensation, seeing it with his own eyes. Sure enough, in a matter of minutes, that familiar resonance filled the room, strong and even.

"There it is." Dr. Franklin said, careful not to say anything that would give the identity away. With his dominant hand, he typed in a few commands, showing the fetus from different angles. Each one, he used the mouse to perform a few quick measurements, checking that the size and all the organs were just as they should be.

He gave a smile as he said, "The baby's in a perfect position. You should have no problem with a natural delivery… I don't see one sign of preterm labor… everything is the right size… the baby looks about seventeen inches long, and the heartbeat is about 132 beats per minute."

Finally, turned the screen, he gave both parents the perfect angle of the little one. At that moment, it seemed all worry flowed out of Reid's mind. His eyes landed on the fetus, laid out in profile, showing the perfect outline of its face and upper body. It was so little, and Reid couldn't help feeling a sense of both happiness and pride. It was so overwhelming, emotion flooding through him like a dam had burst.

He took a gasp as Riley reclaimed his hand, realizing he'd forgotten to breathe. Looking up, his glistening eyes met his wife's gaze.

"You okay?" She asked softly.

"I just… can't believe that's our baby." He muttered, shaking his head, a silly grin spreading over his face.

"Believe it," Franklin said kindly. "And in just a few more weeks, you'll get to meet him or her."

He punched a few more commands and took a screen shot of the scene. Within a moment, the printer spit out two new pictures; one for both of them. After setting them aside, he handed the box of tissues to Riley, allowing her to clean up.

"Right now, everything looks good, and I predict in about three weeks, we'll be welcoming a beautiful healthy baby into the world." Franklin said, standing up. "At your next appointment, we'll review and discuss my plan for your delivery. Of course, I need to stress not everything always goes to plan, but if we're prepared, we'll be better equipped to deal with any unexpected surprises."

With her shirt back in place, Riley started to struggle to get off the exam table. She always felt very much like a turtle, trying to wriggle its way off its shelled back. Rushing to his feet, Reid stood to give her support, letting her lean on him.

"When do you think it would be best for her to start maternity leave?" He wondered as her hands gripped his arm, guiding herself to her feet.

Franklin gave a shrug, "I see no reason why she shouldn't work right up to the birth."

Riley might have been fine with that, in fact she seemed to prefer it, but Reid was none too pleased. "Do you really think that's safe? Working can put a lot of stress on her body."

"Excuse me? 'Her body'? Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" Riley demanded loudly, forcing his gaze to hers. She seemed rather annoyed he was keeping her out of this discussion, like she was completely incompetent.

"I know that, I'm just looking out for you." Reid mentioned, as if his wife were overreacting. "I think it would be better if you were put on bed rest."

"I don't think that's necessary." Franklin shook his head. "She has a low risk job, she spends most of the day sitting down, there's no added stress being put on her or the baby."

"Well, she has a lecture next week, maybe she should cancel that." He said.

For a second time that afternoon, Riley cut him off. "Spencer! That's enough, I'm fine."

"Being on your feet for two hours isn't a good idea." He pointed out. "You just said yourself, your ankles are swollen."

"I can handle it. JJ worked and traveled with the team right up to the labor in both her pregnancies, that's a lot harder than a two hour lecture."

"JJ is not my-" Reid stopped himself short, taking a moment to breathe as she calmed down. "You're right, I'm sorry. You're the mother, you get to make the decisions."

With that, she smiled. "I like this being pregnant thing. You give in so much more easily." She laid a loving kiss on his cheek before stepping away. "I'll be right out."

She moved past the doctor and into the restroom, closing the door behind her. The two men were alone and Dr. Franklin seemed to take a sudden great interest in Dr. Reid.

"Spencer," He said, kindly. Carefully, he set the chart he'd been holding onto the bed, not bothering the flip the cover closed. "Can we talk a minute? While Riley's not around?"

Suddenly, Reid felt a cold grip take hold of his stomach. "Sure… what's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," he shook his head. "You need to believe me, your wife is doing just fine. Not only is she physically healthy, but she's as happy and emotionally balanced as I could hope for, better than most expectant mothers I deal with. I'm more concerned about you. Most doctors are only concerned about the mothers and the babies… but I know to watch the fathers as well… you're the one with the health risk, and that bothers me."

"What do you mean?" Reid wondered, confused and a little offended.

Taking a tentative step forward, Franklin tried to say this without sounding condescending. "I mean, you need to calm down. Look, don't get me wrong, I think it's wonderful how protective you are of your wife. I can relate. When my wife had my oldest, I was a wreck, and I'm an obstetrician. I might have been even more obsessive about it than you."

Reid shifted uncomfortably, looking to the floor. "I don't think I'm being obsessive."

"Just a little." Franklin contradicted with a approachable grin. "Believe me, I prefer the nervous and worried fathers a hell of a lot more than the ones who don't give a damn. It shows how much you love her."

With a sigh, he ran a nervous hand through his hair. He knew he was sheltering her a bit too much, but he couldn't help it. It felt like from the day he might her over five years ago, he'd felt this incredible need to shield her from the dangers of the world. Their baby just doubled that in him, and with all these nightmares he'd been having as of late… it was hard not to think he was missing something. That there was something wrong, something that could take his family away from him, and he just wasn't seeing it.

"I just want to do everything I can to take care of her." He said plainly.

"You are," He said with a smile. "Riley raves about you, most husbands are not that understanding and attentive, and you're out of town most of the time. But if you don't calm down, you're really going to miss the wonder of all of this. This is a very special experience, Spencer. You only get one first baby. One first pregnancy, one first birth… you should try to enjoy it."

That was good advice, and maybe Reid was going over the line. There was no point in getting worked up when there wasn't an obvious problem.

He nodded to show he agreed. "Thank you… I'll try to take it easy."

The bathroom door opened and Riley waddled back in. "Everything okay out here?"

"Spencer and I were just talking, father to father." He said with a smile. "So, same time next Friday?"

"That sounds good," Riley answered, glancing at her husband. "We'll see you then."

Franklin took his lab coat off the door, pulling it back on. "If either of you have any problems or questions, you have my number, don't hesitate to call; and I'll see you next week. You guys have a good weekend."

The Reids said their goodbyes as Dr. Franklin stepped out, leaving them alone. As the door closed, Riley grabbed her husband's attention, giving him a concerned expression.

"Are you alright?" She wondered.

He should be asking her that question. At least she wasn't mad at him, as he had suspected she would be. He answered with a silent nod, but Riley wasn't convinced, brushing down his arm with a touch that still sent exhilarating energy through his body.

"Spencer," she said in a soft voice, "you know everything's going to be okay. The baby is perfectly healthy and I'm doing just fine."

"I just want to make sure you both are getting the best care possible." He answered sternly, but a gentle hand landed on her stomach. There were several kicks in response to his touch.

"Dr. Franklin is great, he's a very good and caring doctor. I don't think we could be in better hands." She assured, resting her hand over his. "And we both know this is a good hospital."

"We've both spent more time here than we care to admit." Reid said, looking up to meet her eyes again. "I'm sorry… I'll back off some."

"I love that your this concerned and involved, and I understand why you're so consumed with this." She answered. "You spend day after day finding hidden quirks about people that prove an apparent normal person is a killer. It's that habit that makes you look a problem the tests and the exams might not show, but just because you can't see one doesn't mean it's hiding. It's like Freud said. Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

Reid replied, "Actually, the proper quote is 'Sometimes a pipe is just a pipe', and Freud was never actually proved to have said that. The theory is, he said it to a student who attempted to contradict his theory on oral fixation when asked why he smoked a pipe-"

She silenced the best way she knew how. Reaching up, she placed a kiss on his lips, soft to her touch as always. Even the gentlest kiss was filled with her unique passion, that burned only for him. It didn't take long for Reid to forget completely what they were talking about.

As it ended, she met his eyes. Words couldn't describe how much she loved him, and their baby. "Let's go home," she uttered, taking his hand.

Reid returned her smile, opening the door for her. As she stepped out, Reid nearly forgot his bag and the bakery box, sitting on the chair. "Oh, just a second," he said, hurrying to grab them.

It happened in the flash of a second. Dr. Franklin probably should have taken that with him, or at least closed it and put it aside, but he'd forgotten to after speaking with Reid. And now here it was, for everyone to see. For someone who could read 20,000 words per minute… comprehending everything on that first page took mere seconds. And now that he knew, he couldn't unlearn it.

"Spencer," Riley said, curious. "Are you coming?"

He felt it best he didn't say anything. It wasn't what Riley wanted, after all. Closing the chart, he turned around, suppressing his knowing smile. "The doctor forgot this; I'll just drop it at the nurse's station on our way out."

They left the room, heading down the corridor. Riley didn't suspect a thing, and having this question out of the way, Reid's mind was a bit more at ease. For now.

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A/N: As I said earlier, I am very excited for this new story. I've been dying to get to Reid and Riley's baby, but telling too many people about it would have given away too much. I hope you guys are excited, too. I think you'll be just as pleased as always with this story, I've got a lot planned for Reid and Riley and the whole gang! :)


	2. The Baby Shower

A/N: Once again guys, I'm sorry updating has been slow. At work, one guy just retired and another got fired, so we're two people short in our department. I've been picking up extra hours so we have someone to close. (It sucks, but it is more money.) I have to say, I am ecstatic at the response I got to this. I think this is the most anticipated story in the series so far! You guys are so awesome, I adore all of you!

BTW, I saw the new Batman movie last night. It was awesome, and I've got to say, it was cool seeing Will LaMontagne as a bad guy.

* * *

The streets had been cleared from last night's snow. The drive home didn't take long since rush hour didn't begin for another hour. None too soon, Reid slowed down and turned onto their new street, driving the short distant to easily pull into the driveway, which he didn't notice had been shoveled and salted very recently.

Reid got out of the car and quickly went to the other side to help his wife. She gave a groan as he wedged her out of the car and onto her feet. Even that little bit of exertion made her out of breath.

"I'll tell you," she grumbled as he went to get his bag and the now empty pastry box she set in the backseat, "I'll be happy when I'm able to get out of a chair by myself again."

They stepped onto the cobblestone pathway. Neither one noticed the twitch of the curtains from inside.

"I'm sorry," Reid said with sympathy as he put his arm around her, leading her to the door. "I wish I could go through some of it along with you. I almost wish I were a seahorse."

Riley stopped abruptly, looking at him as if he were crazy. "What?"

She might be used to his sudden bursts of information, in fact she often found it attractive, but there were times Riley was completely flabbergasted by what came out of his mouth.

Reid explained, "It's actually the males who carry the offspring for seahorses."

With a role of her eyes, she muttered, "Good for the seahorses."

After giving a chuckle, Reid continued. "Actually, it's an interest change of roles. While their not monogamous, the two remain connected through the entire pregnancy. During gestation, the female will visit the male for about ten minutes every morning."

Interesting, yes, but Riley wasn't listening. Her eyes had lingered far down the street. Two intersections away just before the park, sat a car, waiting like it was at a red light. But there was no light there, just a stop sign. It had remained stationary since they'd pulled into the drive. The driver was too far away to see his face or even know what he was looking at… but Riley was certain he was staring right at her.

"Sweetheart?" Reid asked, wondering where her attention had gotten to. "What are you looking at?"

Just before Reid turned, the car made a left turn, not bothering to even flip on his signal. He was gone, but she still couldn't shake the feeling he had been much too interested in the couple.

"Nothing," She answered, shaking her head. He was gone now, there was no reason to worry, and so Riley tried to push the fear from her mind. Reid fumbled with his keys a moment to found the silver one for the big red front door, unlocking it in seconds and stepping inside.

The house was dark and a bit chilly as they walked in. Reid set his keys on the table beside the door, following suit with his wallet, his badge, and finally his gun. Taking that weight off his body at the end of the day was always such a relief. Now he truly felt he could relax.

As the door shut and the light flipped on, the couple received an incredible fright. It was then they found they were not alone in the house, that in fact, a group of people were there waiting for them, crying out surprise as they were finally spotted.

The initial stun took a moment to settle with both of them. "What is this?" Riley cried, backing away a bit.

"It's a surprise party, silly!" Garcia cried, bright and cheerful as always.

At once, Riley turned to Spencer, giving him a look of amazement. "Did you do this?"

Just as bewildered, he shook his head, "I'm just as shocked as you are, what is this for?"

"Well, we wanted to through Riley a baby shower." JJ explained. "Also, today was the end of your last case for a little while, so we wanted to do something special for you, to wish you guys luck."

"It's just our way of saying congratulations, we love you… ex cetera, ex cetera." Emily added with a grin.

"You guys didn't have to do this." Reid said as Garcia rushed to give him a hug.

"We wanted to, kid," Morgan said as he released Riley from an embrace. "You guys have been going through a lot lately, you're trying to get everything ready and… this is our way of saying we're here for you."

"Oh," Riley moaned in a hug from Will. "I think I'm going to cry… and that's not too hard to do these days."

"Hey, we're happy to do it for you." Emily said with a smile, meeting her eye.

"We didn't exactly need an excuse to go shopping." Garcia added with a slight giggle. "We've got food and presents and very rich chocolate cupcakes which yours truly made from scratch!"

"This is so great, guys, thank you." Reid cried, seeing how beautifully the living room was festively decorated, complete with bunches of balloons of pastel pink and blue. A small stack of presents was arranged near the stone fireplace and a small assortment of snacks waited on the table. The scene stood complete with Henry sitting on the sofa playing with a few matchbox cars, his baby brother Joey fast asleep beside him.

"Wait," Riley said, looking around. As many as there were, the group was a bit light. "Didn't Hotch and Rossi want to come?"

"Rossi was here helping us set up, but he got a call from the Deputy Director, saying he needs to see him tonight." Informed Emily, "He said he's sorry, he'll try to make it back in time, but he did leave a present."

"As for Hotch, well…" JJ wasn't exactly sure how to say this. "We've been planning this for a few months, but on Monday he told us he had to go out of town. Something urgent he couldn't get out of… and left it at that."

"Really?" Reid said, suspicious. He caught Riley's gaze and stated, "Is it just me or has he been traveling a lot lately?"

"Now that you mention it, he has." Morgan agreed. "Like… every weekend he doesn't have Jack, he mysteriously disappears."

Garcia mentioned, "It is odd… any ideas or… do you think we should… do a little digging?"

"Guys," Will said, sounding almost offended, "you can't just go snooping into your boss's life, that's not right."

JJ grimaced a bit. "As much as I hate to admit it, he's got a point. We could easily go over the line with that, we don't want to get in trouble."

"That's true." Riley agreed with a sinister simper. "Me on the other hand… I don't work for him."

* * *

While the others took Riley to relax in the living room, JJ and Reid were serving the pizza in the kitchen. He entertained her with a recap of seeing the sonogram. JJ watched him with great interest the whole time, loving how his eyes glittered, talking so proudly about his baby.

"I mean, I've heard so many different stories about it," he continued, unaware he was smiling so brightly. "Will has told me so much, and I've heard different experiences from Hotch and my father… but seeing it for yourself… it's like nothing I could imagine. Hearing my baby's heart beating, knowing I created it… I guess it's a little conceited, but the whole thing filled me with so much of a joy I can't ever remember feeling before… I think I'm going like being a father." He lifted open the lid of one of the boxes, examined the display and immediately closed. "Oh, don't give any of this one to Riley, mushrooms make her sick."

JJ said nothing. On the contrary, she was completely silent. Curious, Reid looked up to see what was wrong, surprised to see her in mid-stance, her hand on the handle of the fridge pausing prior to getting the apple juice that he requested. "What is it?" He wondered.

"Nothing, I'm just…" She shook her head. "I'm just so proud of you."

That was a little odd. "What do you mean?" He wondered.

She tried to put how she was feeling into words; never an easy feat for a person. "I just keep thinking about how far you've come. I'll never forget when I met you… this shy, awkward kid… who knew way too much about the world for having experienced so little. You were so young, so scared of everything and everyone… and the whole world looked down on you, despite how talented and smart you were. You could barely work up the courage to ask me to a football game… and now look at you. Look at this person you've blossomed into. Now you're one of the most respected agents in the FBI, you're married, you own this beautiful home and in a few weeks, you're going to have the baby…" Tears began to glisten in her eyes as she exclaimed, "You're all grown up, Spence."

Reid never liked to be seen as a kid. He hated the fact so many people thought of him as weak and innocent, even his best friends. Maybe things were changing now. Maybe the world was finally starting to see him as a man.

"I guess I am," He said with a shy smile, avoiding her eyes as she brought the bottle of juice to he. He starting putting the plates of pizza onto one of the trays. "We'd better get these out to the hungry hordes."

Not wanting to embarrass him further, JJ patted his pack, helping to place the drinks on the other try. Modest to the last. At least some things never changed.

* * *

"You feel that?" Riley asked with a smile. Henry was sitting between her and Garcia on the sofa, his little hands were resting on Riley's stomach, getting feel the little taps for himself. He gasped as he felt a strong hard one right underneath his palm, pulling it quickly away. "That's the baby in there. It's saying hi to you."

He was still a bit unsure, the whole room finding his concerned curiosity awfully amusing and very cute, all the adults in the room getting a chuckle.

"Baby," Henry repeated, putting his hands back. More kicks responded, but he didn't pull away this time. "How does the baby come out of there, Aunt Riley?"

"Uh," Riley muttered. She looked to Garcia, but she was just as perplexed, and both turned to the father for an answer.

Will wasn't much help, either. "We haven't exactly covered where babies come yet." He said, brushing back toddler's hair as he slept in his lap. "He was a little too young to care when Joey was born."

He was still waiting for an answer as Riley turned back, his attention unwavering. "Well, Sweetie… in a few weeks, I'm going to go to the hospital and a doctor is going to take it out."

That seemed to satisfy him for now. The innocence of a child's mind.

"Okay, Sweet Thing," Garcia exclaimed, taking the little boy to sit on the floor with his toys, "why don't you play with your cars so Aunt Riley can open her presents?"

"Shouldn't we wait for Spencer?" Riley asked, glancing behind her to see if he was coming yet.

"You can at least get started," Emily insisted. She and Morgan had claimed to loveseat to themselves, sitting together much too close than necessary, one of the more positive aspects they found from having the rest of their friends now. At least they could be affectionate in front of others now.

Garcia reclaimed her seat, handing Riley an almost perfectly square box. "Here, this one's from me."

With a smile, Riley took the package, suspecting what she was about to find was some high tech gadget she nor anyone else on the planet would have any use for. She was only partly right.

"iBaby," Riley read the front the product, a bit puzzled. "What is this?"

"This is the next generation's baby monitor." She animatedly explained, taking the box to explain the pictures on the side. "It's a camera that you hook to the edge of crib, then you pair it up to a device like your laptop and this way, you can watch the baby from wherever you are."

"How clever!" Riley exclaimed with a smile as Reid and JJ started to make their way in. She gave her husband a smile as he showed him the box. "Look, what Garcia gave us."

Reid, who'd spend the last six months researching everything he could get his hands on about babies and pregnancy, had already read a little about these. It was no surprise he didn't share his wife's enthusiasm.

"I don't know," He said reluctantly as he set the tray down and sat next to his wife, taking the box from her. "I'm not too thrilled at the idea of having our baby on a web cam all the time."

"Reid, it's not a web cam!" Garcia corrected. "It only shows the picture to the devices you approve of."

He had a sudden vision of every victim that had fallen at the hands of Tobias Henkle. Didn't they all believe the innocent web cam installed in their computer was just as harmless as the object in his hands? And they were suggesting he put his precious child on it?

"These are so great, I wish they'd had these when the boys were born." JJ informed as she took the armchair on the other side of the coffee table, just perpendicular to her husband. She helped Henry get settled before the coffee table with his dinner before handing a plate to her husband, reliving him of Joey. The mother and son settled back on the fat, comfy cushions.

"Maybe for the next one," Garcia said with a wink. JJ rolled her eyes, she was not getting into this conversation again right now. She waited for Will to make a comment, but he never did.

Reid wasn't ready to give in on the argument. "It sounds awfully risky to use something like this. What's wrong with the regular walkie? It's seemed to work for decades for people."

"Oh my God, you are such a technophob!" Riley cried, taking the box back. "I think it's a great idea, we won't need to run into the nursery all the time to make sure the baby's alright."

"Not to mention, Reid," Garcia said, pointing out one of the aspects listed on the side. "It has an unlimited range. We could be on a case in California, and you'll still be able to see your precious little cherub at bedtime. You could watch all night if you wanted to."

It wasn't an easy sell, but hearing that definitely softened him to the idea. "Hmm," He muttered, reading over the box again. He didn't particularly accept this… but he liked that he be able to see his child no matter where he went.

"Aren't you glad we forced you to get a smartphone?" Emily said with a smile as Riley set the camera aside.

"I wasn't forced, the FBI required we all get one," was Reid's pathetic way of attempting to win the argument.

After opening the rest of the presents, revealing a wonderful collection of beautiful gifts for new Baby Reid, including a top of the line stroller the whole team chipped in on, everyone relaxed to eat dinner before the pizza got stone cold. It was a rare treat everyone got to just enjoy their time together, no threats or worries looming over them at the moment. They just got to have fun.

Reid had been sent into the kitchen by his wife, returning in a moment with both a squeeze bottle of chocolate sauce and jar of mayonnaise. "Thank you, Sweetheart," she said with a smile as she accepted them.

The others watched interestedly as she smeared the two toppings onto her pepperoni pizza. Once satisfied, she didn't even hesitate before taking a bite, sighing with content.

Reid was so used to this by now, he paid no attention. Like she'd been doing this since the day they met. Morgan, however, stared at her with revolted fascination.

"That's disgusting, Parker." He finally stated.

It was a moment before Riley was able to swallow and respond. "Hey," she exclaimed. "No uterus, no opinion."

The other girls laughed, having a bit more understanding on the subject than the men. Even Will appeared immune, explaining. "You'd be amazed what a woman can crave when she's pregnant. I could give you so many examples."

"It's not so much the abnormality of her cravings, it's the inconvenience of them." Reid answered, taking a second slice of the normally topped pizza slice. He shot Riley a playful glare as he added, "She frequently sends me out at two in the morning to get her chicken fried rice from Hop Sing's."

Emily thought for a moment, "That's a twenty minute drive, there's got to be a place closer that's open 24 hours."

"It's not the same," Riley admitted. "And it's not my fault, it's what the baby wants."

She gave Reid a loving smirk as she patted her belly. He sighed, looking to his friends. "The baby's been calling most of the shots around her, as you can see." At that, he placed his own hand over hers and kissed her cheek.

"You're a saint, man." Morgan said, shaking his head.

Garcia was amazed. "You think so? This poor woman's body is playing hostess to an adorable parasite and he's the one making the great sacrifice?"

"I don't mean it as an insult to Riley, I know she's going through a lot and I support her." Morgan explained. "But I'm just saying I'm not sure I'd be willing to climb out of bed in the middle of the night just to satisfy some craving."

There wasn't a single person in the room who wasn't looking at him in surprise, most of all Emily.

"Really?" She asked, her eyes ablaze.

Morgan turned to her, knowing this was about to lead somewhere, and it wasn't a good place. "I'm just voicing my opinion."

"It's a pretty obvious opinion." Emily noted. She wasn't exactly upset, but it was a bit of a shocker. "So… you wouldn't support the woman carrying your child like Reid's doing… even if it were me?"

"Okay," Garcia cried, giving smile. "New topic."

"No," Emily waved her hand at her, shushing her for a moment. "I want to know, are you serious about that? If I were pregnant, you'd just let me… fend for myself then?"

He was chewing on a slice of pizza, which thankfully gave him a minute to think. That made him consider something. "I'm not going to get into an argument with you if it's a pointless discuss. I mean, is this even a possibility, Prentiss?"

They were beginning to forget the others were in the room. With a shrug and a clear of her throat, she replied, "I'm just speaking hypothetically."

"Okay, hypothetically… is this a possibility. Us having a kid?" He questioned.

The others were trying to pretend this wasn't uncomfortable. Riley met Spencer's eyes, both wondering if even her water breaking could bring the two back to the group.

It probably wouldn't have, because in that moment, Emily saw something. Something she'd never seen before in this man's eyes. An excited gaze, filled with anticipation and a little longing, like he'd been desperate to hear these words for so long. And not just from anyone.

"I… don't… know," was all she could think to reply. Their relationship, however strong it was, was not on solid ground. One shift in the dynamic of their team could break them apart forever. Planning too far ahead in the future would be getting her hopes up. They were too high up already, she knew. "Maybe."

She was basing their future on 'maybe', but perhaps that was better. They couldn't really have a full discussion here about it, and it was definitely better than a no. With a satisfied nod, he turned back to his dinner; his demeanor so cool, it seemed like the topic didn't perturb him at all.

But Emily couldn't ignore what she saw, or the way Morgan avoided looking at her for the rest of the party.

* * *

It wasn't too late when the party broke up, with JJ and Will ushering their sleeping boys out to the car, the last to depart. The sky was dark and more storm clouds were beginning to move in, preparing to bathe the city in another snowfall. As reasonable as the hour was, Reid and Riley were equally tired, having no desire to stay up any longer. Leaving the dishes in the sink and the presents on the coffee table, the couple went straight to bed.

Reid changed into his pajamas, a solid navy blue pair he'd recently gotten for Christmas. They were very comfortable and perfect for a cold winter's night. The room was rather chilly, especially with the snow just starting to fall outside the window, but he didn't want to turn up the heat. Riley was prone to getting night sweats, sometimes so powerful, she was forced to open a window.

Indeed, while he was wrapped in soft flannel, Riley's nightly attire seemed more appropriate for the middle of July. After the bed was turned down, he walked over to the open door of the master bathroom where she stood at the sink. She wore a long lacy nearly see through nightgown with straps for sleeves. It graced over her body comfortable, accentuating the growing mound held out before.

He leaned against the door frame, folding his arms as he watched her. His thoughts got away from him, admiring her every move. She watched her reflection in the mirror as she brushed her loose, wild curls, taming them as much as she could.

Her eyes landed on him in the mirror, amazed at the expression on his face, his eyes dazed like he were drugged. She couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious. "What are you staring at?"

"You," He answered with a smile. "You are so beautiful."

She let out a scoff. "That's a trick of your psyche, you know. Your subconscious sees your virility and potent masculinity in me which, in turn, floods you with endorphins and dopamine." She set her hairbrush on the porcelain sink, still observing what she saw as the big puffy version of the woman she once knew. As despised as she was by it, she still gave a loving stroke down the curve before her. "It's an evolutionary result that developed as humans became more monogamous."

Reid shook his head in disagreement. "No," he said as he went behind her wrapping his arms around her body, his hands coming to meet in the middle of her bump. He kissed the exposed section of her shoulder as he continued, "You do truly look beautiful, you just can't see it like I do."

She gave a quiet sigh. She didn't think she was very beautiful, most of the time she felt very fat and awkward. Of course, she never thought she was very pretty before, and Spencer was always convinced otherwise. Besides, it didn't matter. This was the price she'd have to pay to have her baby, and so took it willingly.

There were at least some changes she was joyful about. Finding his eyes in the mirror, she gave a smile. "I'm so glad you're home."

"Me, too," he concurred, kissing the side of her head through her freshly brushed ebony curls. "I hated leaving you alone all the time. What if you were in trouble and I couldn't get to you? There's nothing to fear now."

"Can you believe it? In three weeks… we're going to be parents!" She said excitedly.

Reid had to give her credit. She'd been trying very hard since they got back from Vegas to be positive about this. At first he could tell, as much as she wanted the baby, her enthusiasm was false. Perhaps hoping that by acting happy, it would later become true. That didn't seem the case now.

"You really are looking forward to this, aren't you?" He asked.

She looked back at him, knowing his concern was completely justified. "I am," she answered. "I know I freaked out in the beginning and… it took me awhile to believe this won't be a disaster, but… I believe it's true now. Things don't have to turn out terrible. It's my responsibility to make it so."

"It's both our responsibility," Reid corrected, "and I don't think it's going to be hard. We both already love this baby so much, there's no way we won't give it a good life."

At that, she started leading her husband from the bathroom. The bed was practically calling to both of them and Riley hoped to get a few hours' sleep before the kicking started. "I admit, I'm still worried, though."

"I'd be surprised if you weren't." Reid assured. They started to turn down the covers on their respective sides. "Any expectant parent is, no matter how many children they have. But I believe everything's going to turn out alright, you should, too."

"I do, she agreed, adjusting her pillows to support her aching back. "It might be hard at first, but… I don't think it'll take too long for us to bond with the baby. The first few weeks will be hard, but we'll get to know each other and eventually we'll come together, I'm sure of it."

"I don't think it will take nearly that long." Reid said as they climbed under the covers, snuggling down to get comfortable. As his body hit the sheets, he could feel an unwavering force of exhaustion claim him, like a spell had been cast and there was no way to stop it. "Honestly, I will be amazed if we leave the hospital and we're not completely in love with our child."

Riley gave a very convincing smile. She was indeed grateful for his confidence. As he switched off the light however and the room fell in darkness, he heard a whisper so soft, she didn't think he could overhear. "We'll see."

Reid pretended he didn't. There was no point in upsetting her, not when they had so much time to go. He had learned long ago to pick his battles with her. The last thing he wanted was to spend the next three weeks in an argument. The two naturally moved together in order to be comfortable, his arm wrapping around her, just above her stomach, keeping her close. Riley might not be very comfortable these days, but she could certainly relax better when Spencer held her like this. Within less than a minute, he had easily drifted off to sleep. It took a bit longer, but by the end of the hour, she had drifted off with him.

* * *

_"Riley!" He screamed. "Get out of there! Get off the tracks! The train is coming!"_

_It was no good. No matter how loud he yelled, he couldn't get her attention. The freight train appeared around the bend, plowing along the tracks at a breakneck pace. All Riley did was stare down at the little baby, her eyes filled with adoration and love. Nothing existed around them, including their impending doom._

_Reid dashed down the hill toward them, faster than he ever thought possible. A stitch burned in his side, but it wasn't enough to stop him, not when his family was in danger. He had to save them, he had to get them out of there._

_The train seemed to go faster and the blades of grass seemed to get thicker. He stumbled, falling to the ground, desperate to get his body back up. He had to keep going._

_As he stood again, he saw Riley finally look up and see the train barreling towards her. Terror filled her face as she saw the train, coming right for them. Fear had paralyzed her._

_"Riley!" Reid yelled over the chug of the train. "Run! Just run!"_

_He was so close, he actually believed he might make it, but just ten feet from the tracks and it was too late, his foot caught under him, causing him to trip. Riley quickly spun around, shielding the blanketed baby with her own body, though it did no good to save the child. Reid watched helplessly as the train collided with them. Within seconds, it was like they had never been._

_"No!" He screamed in horror, his hand grasping at the dirt and gravel on the ground. His cries turned to sobs as he took in what just happened. They needed him to save them, and they were gone forever._

"Spencer!" He heard a voice cry, his body jostled and shaken, "Spencer, wake up!"

Reid gasped and jerked as he awoke. The realization hit him immediately. A nightmare. It was only that horrible nightmare again.

He bolted upright at once, taking a deep breath as he covered his eyes. His face was covered in cold sweat and he realized he was shaking. His heart clenching in his chest like it was being pumped within a giant's fist. Just as always.

He heard a click and as he pulled his hands away, he winced. Riley had turned on her bedside lamp. While he adjusted to the light, her soft hand lovingly caress his shoulder. Finally able to open his eyes, he turned to her, a worried expression on her face.

"Are you alright?" She asked just above a whisper.

He tried to brush it off. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you were shaking and moaning in your sleep, and I swear I heard you cry out 'no'. What were you dreaming about?" She wondered.

Reid didn't want to tell anyone about this, least of all Riley. She had enough to deal with right now, she didn't need to be burden by his problems, too. "You know… I can't even remember."

He gave a shrug and a small smile, trying to convey confidence. Riley gave him a very serious scowl.

"Why do you still think you can lie to me?" She wondered, folding her arms. "I know you, Spencer. You were having a nightmare and you only have those when you're overwhelmed and scared. Was it about the baby?"

"No!" He cried angrily, than quickly lowered his voice. Even if there was a reason to yell at her, he didn't want to right now. "Not… exactly. It was more… the both of you."

"What happened?" She asked. It wasn't demanded or forceful, just urgent. She knew he needed to get this out.

Hesitant, he moved back a bit to sit against his pillows, the better to see her. Although, once he was comfortable, he found he couldn't look in her eyes as he said this. "I watched the both of you die."

Obviously, that was unsettling. It would be bothersome for anyone to hear. One of the things he loved about her was her attempt to put a sprightly spin on solemn topics, when the occasion was right.

"I think we've been watching too much Star Wars." She said with a slight giggle.

Reid couldn't help but give a small smile. A real one this time. "Not like that… I know it's not a premonition, that's hokum and unrealistic. I could explain dozens of theories why that's not possible. And you didn't die in childbirth, either. It was more… of an accident and… I just couldn't get to you in time."

That was as far as he wanted to elaborate on it. He couldn't bring himself to relive that scene. It had been so real and just thinking about it made him want to be sick.

Luckily, Riley understood. She brushed his face, finally bringing his eyes up to hers. "It was just a dream. I think you're just worried, like you said earlier. Becoming a father is incredibly overwhelming, and your worries tend manifest if you don't let them out and share them. You stick it in the back of your brain and pretend it's not there. It's one of the reasons the Bureau sent you to me in the first place."

As amazing as his memory was, sometimes he forget about that. That Riley had been his doctor first. They'd just been through so much together over the years, he felt more connected to her than anyone, in ways that seemed to span beyond the laws of the universe. It felt more like they'd known each other all their lives.

"So what do you think I should do, Dr. Reid?" He wondered.

"I think you need to talk to your wife a little more if something's bothering you." She insisted. "Bottling up your emotions, trying to ignore how you feel… that's never worked well for you. Look at all the reckless things you used to do before you found an outlet."

He wouldn't call her just an outlet, but there was a lot of truth there. "It's not that I want to keep things from you. I just don't want to put more of a burden on you than you already have. You're mind and your body are going through enough already. You have your own fears you've been dealing with even longer than this pregnancy and you need me to help you deal with them, it's not fair for me to do that to you."

"That's the whole point of a marriage!" Riley exclaimed. "You have any idea how ashamed I feel when it seems like I'm the one with fears and doubts… knowing you have them as well, even to a lesser degree, makes me feel a little more normal, and that's not easy to come by these days."

Reid hadn't thought of that. He couldn't forget how weak and ashamed he was as a rookie in the BAU, having nightmares and apprehensions about the job, feeling like everyone was so much better adjusted than he. He truly felt like he wouldn't make it. If he hadn't opened up to Morgan and Gideon, there was no telling what it might have lead him to.

"I can't promise I'll come to you about everything." He answered, reaching over to rest his hand on her stomach. "But… if I feel I can't deal with it on my own, I'll come to you."

"Thank you. And, if you'd rather I not know, than at least talk to someone like JJ or Hotch. I hate that you feel you wouldn't be able to come to me, but I'd rather you go to someone else you trust than keep these things buried." Riley replied.

He nodded. Riley was an incredible creature, caring first and foremost about his wellbeing. The nightmare felt like a distant memory now, and he felt ready to go back to sleep. "I'm sorry I woke you up."

"You didn't," She shook her head, rubbing on her stomach. "Somebody started kicking a little early tonight."

Reid laughed, glancing at the clock on her table. It was 11:38; normally the kicking didn't start until after midnight.

"Anything I can get for you?" He wondered.

She hadn't wanted to ask. If he had just crawled back under the covers, Riley would have let him go to sleep, but her desires could not be denied now. She bit her lip and stared at him with those big brown eyes he could never say no to. "Well… if you're offering… I would like some ice cream."

At least he wouldn't have to drive through the snow infested city tonight. "Red velvet or cookie dough?"

"Red velvet," She grinned and then patted her stomach again. "It's the baby's favorite."

He chuckled again, kissing her cheek as he crawled out of their warm bed. "I'll be right back."

"Don't be too long," She called after him as he left the room.

Alone now, Riley couldn't help but worry. For her husband, for her child, and what that dream could have possibly meant. She should have pressed to hear more of the details, because she couldn't help being afraid. Spencer often noticed things without even knowing it, and as of late, something very odd had been going on. Maybe he had had the same fears too.

As for the last month, Riley couldn't deny the feeling that she was being watched the followed. That car sitting at the intersection could not be forgotten. There were other signs, too. An odd shift of movement in the crowd. Someone staring at her across the way, just out of sight of really seeing his face. Was it real or just the constant flow of emotions making her paranoid? Right now, there was no way to tell, and unlike her advice suggested, Riley couldn't bring herself to tell her husband. He had enough to worry about.


	3. Fears

Saturday was an unnaturally sunny day in February, though a bitter chill remained in the air. Riley was unaware of that, however. She often forgot how cold it got this time of year, given that her new home was heated so effortlessly. One of the many pros it had over the old third floor apartment.

While the upstairs was a symphony of banging and shouting, the basement was calm and quiet. Nothing but the hum of the laundry machines could be heard. It was very peaceful, giving her the time to relax and gather her thoughts. There was something so meditative about doing housework, Riley had discovered. The same as her husband often found through paper trails, or Garcia in a knitting project. Though she'd never been an ideal housekeeper, she took a great pride in taking care of her new home. Maybe it was because it truly belonged to her, or maybe she was already finding joy in caring for her family, something she knew her own mother never did.

As she was unscrewing the cap of fabric softener, she felt a shift inside her. Everything had been quiet for the past few hours but it seemed her little one was waking up. To feel all those taps and movements inside her when they first began, while wonderful, had been nothing short of terrifying. She was used to it now, and today it filled her with a great yearning.

"Hey in there," She cooed, patting against her stomach. "Somebody's awake."

As usual, the baby responded to her, stirring even more in her belly at the sound of her voice. Riley massaged around the curve, soothing the child inside her. Saying she wasn't scared would be a blatant lie to anyone, and the last person she could lie to was herself. Something that had taken her half a decade to learn. The months dwindled down to mere weeks and the anticipation had started to grow. As scared as she was, and anxious to know how she'd first respond to motherhood, she couldn't wait for her baby to get here, to meet the child that had lived inside her for nearly a year.

"Hello?" A voice called from upstairs in the kitchen. "Anybody home?"

Riley smiled. She'd been wondering when she'd show up. "Down here."

In a moment, she heard her boots carefully clamor down the steep staircase into the laundry room. It was a bit dark down here, and the ceiling was low, but it was a good enough space to get the clothes clean.

"Hey," She said with a smile as she stepped into the dim room. "Sorry, I rang the bell, but no one answered."

"Oh, yeah, we need to get that fixed." Riley said as she poured the right amount of softener into the machine. Screwing the cap back on, she grabbed the detergent. "The house isn't exactly perfect, there's a least a dozen little things that need done, none of which I can do without Spencer's help."

"Well, the nursery's more important anyway right now." Emily said as her friend lifted a basket of fresh towels onto the folding table, right next to an opened box of pop tarts. "How's it going up there?"

"I don't know, I've been avoiding the second floor since noon." She extracted a foil packet, opening it carefully and holding it out to her friend. "Want one?"

Emily giggled. "No thanks, I don't want to deprive your little one."

Taking it back, Riley couldn't help but sigh. "I'm a little ashamed to admit it, but I've been eating a box of these a day."

"Yeah, but you're having a baby, you're allowed to indulge a little." She said, patting her baby bump gently. "How are you feeling?"

"Ugh," Riley grumbled. Her hand landed in the small of her back, adding minimal support to the ache that grew there, which had just started again. She'd been on her feet too long. "Don't get me started. I mean, this has really been an amazing experience, but I have to admit… I'm getting a little sick of this."

"It'll be over soon." Emily had taken over the task of folding the fluffy clean towels, giving Riley a break. She didn't mind pitching in a bit. It was nice to do something useful after the horrible afternoon she'd had. "And you can't even tell you're miserable, you look fantastic."

"Don't lie, Emily. It's unattractive." Riley muttered, brushing back her hair and adjusting her glasses. Her eyes had been so dry lately, wearing her contacts was almost painful. She'd decided this morning to forgo the lenses for next month. It was one less thing to worry about.

"I am not lying." She argued. "You look gorgeous. I'm sure Spencer tells you that every day."

"Yeah, well, he has to, I'm having his baby." Riley said and avoided her eyes as she joined in with the laundry.

Emily argued. "No he doesn't. Reid doesn't have to do most of the things he's doing, as Morgan was kind enough to point out last night. Everything he says is true and everything he does is because he loves you. You don't know how lucky you are."

Watching her carefully, Riley sensed a lot more than her friend was saying. She couldn't forget what had happened last night, nor the two didn't appear to be speaking much when they left. Emily wasn't looking at her, as if hoping she would change the subject, but she wasn't letting the subject drop so quickly.

"So… does that mean you and Morgan are still not talking?" Riley wondered.

"It's not that we're not talking, we're just… avoiding the big elephant in the room." Emily admitted, her fingers playing the end of one of the blue towels, right where the threads had split and began to fray slightly.

"You know, Em, I have a feeling that was all talk. If you were pregnant, Morgan would do everything Spencer's doing." Riley pointed out. "He's mad about you. You know how he's always got to act like some tough man but when it comes to you, he bends over backwards to make you happy. You've got him wrapped around your finger."

A smile began to cross her face, but she quickly suppressed it. "I know… I think it's more… he's upset with me. Giving him such a vague answer on where I want our future to go."

Curious, "Don't tell me you two haven't talked about having kids."

"Not seriously," Emily answered. "Maybe every once in a while, we'll mention something about what our kids would be like, but it's just in passing… and he always says how his mother is constantly on his case to give her grandchildren… but other than that…"

Her years of expertise kicking in, Riley couldn't help analyzing the situation. It was habit. "You know, Em… you don't have to have children if you don't want to. It's your decision and yours alone."

"The thing is, I think I'd like to have kids someday." Emily admitted, finally folding up the towel and setting it neatly on the pile. "I'd like to have a family… I always hoped one day I would. But for a long time, especially as I got older and spent year after year alone, when I thought about it… I guess I just assumed I'd be doing it alone. A trip to a clinic and a turkey baster would give me a baby."

"You know it's a bit more scientific than that." Riley corrected.

"Yes, thank you, Doctor, I know that!" Emily snapped jokingly. "I just mean… I didn't want it to get complicated with another person, because…"

"Because what?" Riley pressed.

Because of her greatest fear. The same way Riley was scared of making the same mistakes, so was Emily. She'd hate herself if she followed the same path as her mother.

Before Emily could answer, or Riley could press further, a loud crash seemed to shake the whole house, followed by muffled yelling. The girls looked up to the ceiling, stunned and intrigued to know what had caused such a racket.

"What is going on up there?" Emily exclaimed, looking to the worried wife beside her.

"Come on," She said, quickly gathering up the clean, fresh towels and tossing them into the basket. "Let's go see what those idiots are up to."

Despite protests from Riley, Emily insisted on carrying the basket upstairs. A woman in her condition shouldn't be exerting herself so much, especially when she was so far along. Climbing was enough of an effort for her; she was panting by the time they reached the top.

The door to the nursery was open a crack. Reaching it first, Emily pushed it open carefully, not wanting it to squeak and alert the men of their presence. She almost burst out laughing at the sight.

In the middle of the freshly painted room, Reid and Morgan were spread on the floor with a mess of wood and hardware. What looked like a redwood crib was laying in pieces on the new carpet, bolts and nuts littered among it. Morgan picked up one of the panels to examine it, obviously frustrated.

"I thought you tightened the screws." Morgan cried as he tried releasing what was left in the holes. There was no choice but to take it apart and put it back together. Again.

"I did!" Reid exclaimed, offended. "I may not be much of a handyman, but I know how to helically attack two objects together with one cylindrical object. You're the one who couldn't keep the panels straight!"

"Well, maybe I was a little tired, but that could be because I was painting most of the nursery today. The one for _your_ baby!" Morgan exclaimed. "Get your skinny ass over here and help me put this back together."

Still arguing his point, he did as he was told. "You are the one who ordered me to focus mainly on painting the trim and molding. You can't complain for doing as you ask!"

"Alright, fellas, break it up!" Emily called as she stepped into the room, Riley right behind her. The men both jumped to their feet, unaware they'd been being watched by their wife and girlfriend respectively.

"Oh, my God!" Riley exclaimed as she got a full view of the room. "You guys, it's beautiful!"

Indeed, it was. A bright, pastel blue had replaced the dingy, faded brown that covered the walls before. A ribbon of teddy bear wallpaper when a complete circle around, and the creamy yellow trim accentuated everything. It was better than she even dreamed.

Reid stood up as he smiled. "Do you like it?" He asked, wishing all the furniture was arranged before he presented it to her.

"I love it!" She exclaimed, her eyes sparkling behind her glasses. The littlest things brought her to tears these days. "It's absolutely perfect, thank you so much." Reaching up, she pulled her husband down to press a soft kiss on his lips.

"You two just can't keep your hands off each other, huh?" Emily asked with a laugh and a grin.

"How do you think she got that way, Prentiss?" He asked. His tone was casual, but she couldn't help but notice he wouldn't look at her, going back to work on trying to put the crib together.

"Ha ha ha," Reid exclaimed. Noticing Emily was carrying the basket of laundry, he promptly took it off her hands. "Morgan, what do you say we call it a day? Let's order in dinner, what are you guys in the mood for?"

"I don't know," Emily grumbled, not feeling remotely hungry, as she always did when she had stuff on her mind. "I suppose we have to eat, huh?"

"Well, yeah, I do." Riley replied. Despite Reid's request, Morgan kept diligent work on putting the panels together, like he was ignoring the others in the room. "Uh… Sweetheart, why don't you help me put those away. We'll be back in a few minutes."

It was almost like the two hadn't heard them. Reid caught his wife's eye, curious and troubled to what this could mean. If Emily and Morgan were fighting and not screaming at each other, it was something serious.

They stepped out, all but closing the door as they left. As much as they wanted to give them privacy, it wasn't a bad idea to keep an eye on them as well, just in case intervention was needed.

Alone now, Emily took a step closer. "Hey," she muttered. "How's your day been?"

"Not good," He answered. "You try being stuck in a room with Reid with paint fumes. If he hadn't opened that window for a half hour, I might have started hallucinating."

She wished he would stand up and look at her. "Why don't you take a break?"

"Nah," He shook his head. "I'd rather get this done. But it would go faster if I had some help."

At least he wasn't asking her to leave, or trying to pretend she wasn't here. Squatting down beside him, he handed her the panel. "Here, hold this straight while I tighten the screws, and keep the bolts in place."

A much better handyman that Reid, she worked flawlessly with him. He easily fastened each screw, connecting the sides securely. "So how was your day? Enjoy lunch with your mom?"

"You are joking right?" She asked with a roll of her eyes.

For the first time, he looked up to meet her eyes. "I take it that means it didn't go well?"

She hesitated at first, not really sure how to bring this up. "I wouldn't say it went badly, but… it did concern me a little bit."

"How do you mean?" He wondered, getting to his feet. With two sides attached, half the crib stood up firm, not wobbling in the slightest as it had before. They made such a better team.

Emily stood with him, getting a full view of him. Wearing his ripped work pants and his tight t-shirt, both complete with several paint stains, from today's project and many that were before. After hours of strenuous work, his dark skin was glistening with perspiration, the smell of his cologne wafting around her. He was so sexy, she nearly forgot what she was worried about.

"You look very hot, by the way." She said with a seductive smile.

"Thank you, I'll remember that for later." He smirked. "But tell me, what's going on with your mom?"

Snapping back to reality, Emily took a deep breath, forcing herself to meet his eyes. "I think she might know about us."

Now it was his turn to be bothered. He didn't say anything for a moment, just trying to process this. Emily simply waited him out, needing to know his response to this before she said continued.

"What makes you think that?" He wondered, hoping she was just overreacting. Emily tended to do that where her mother was concerned, not that it wasn't unprecedented.

"I know how to read my mother." She stated. "For one thing, she kept asking about you?"

"Doesn't she always ask about the team?" He questioned.

"She didn't ask about anyone else… just you. And her questions were… not ones a person normal brings up in a casual discussion." She pointed out. "Such as… where you grew up… if you believe your future lies in the BAU and, my personal favorite, if I know anything about your past that could make him a liability."

Now he understood her reasoning, and his expression became very grave. "Why would she care about all that?"

"Because a political mongrel, Derek, she's always prying into my life to see how I could possibly destroy her career. The only thing she's ever approved of is me joining the FBI, and that's only because she knew it could possibly benefit her. I mean… she still gets on my case because I chose Yale over Dartmouth!"

It seemed a relief for her to get this off her chest, like she'd been holding it in for a while, and not just for the last few hours. Morgan, forgetting about his own concerns for a moment, stepped closer and put his arm around her. The way she leaned on him, needing his support, he forgot why he was so upset with her in the first place.

"I assume we can't suspect this might be a good thing?" He wondered, looking down at the top of her raven hair.

"I know it's not a good thing." She said, looking up to him. "One of two things can happen, either she'll approve of this and she'll ruin what we have by trying to push us along or she won't approve and she'll do everything to tear us apart! She has diplomatic immunity in next to no time. Do you know how far we'll have to run to get away from her?"

"I hear Rio's worth a visit. Or we could just go back to Jamaica, live in a Bungalow." She didn't find his joke funny, giving him a serious glare. "Oh come on, don't be like that. Everything's going to be fine."

He didn't know that. She hung her head, her fingers tracing the planes of his chest through his sweaty t-shirt. All she wanted to do was burrow under the covers and lay in his arms for the rest of the night. It was the only place she ever felt safe.

"I've been going over and over in my head how she could have found out about us." She muttered, shaking her head. "Unless one of the others spilled the beans to someone else, I can't figure it out."

With a cringe, Morgan reluctantly replied. "Yeah, the others… I believe are off the hook. I… might have accidentally brought her in the loop about it."

Emily had never been so stunned that she wanted to back out of his arms, until today. She stared at Morgan in amazement, having trouble processing this. "When did you even talk to her?"

"Okay, it was an accident. I know we made a rule never to answer each other's house phones, just in case, but… about three weeks ago when you were in the shower…" He looked guilty, seeming to shrink a bit, "I was half asleep, it was habit."

"You talked to my mother on the phone?" Emily wondered. "Okay, answer me this. How did she know it was you?"

"Like I said, I was half asleep… she asked for Emily, I corrected her and said it was Morgan… obviously she remembered me." He confessed. He'd nearly forgotten about that indiscretion, hoping there wouldn't be any repercussions. Obviously, he'd never been more wrong.

That at least explained it. Emily wasn't exactly mad at him, but she knew there was too much damage to fix the problem now. Perhaps if it had been the same day, but it three weeks later, it was too late.

"I don't know what we're going to do." She shook her head again. "This could so easily get out… do you know how close my mother is with Strauss? One wrong move and our careers could be reduced to filing in the archives for the rest of our lives."

At that, a twinkle sparkled in his eyes. "That might not be so bad… you and me, hiding in the bowels of the FBI, where no one would ever find us."

She couldn't suppress the chuckle. The man was absolutely insatiable, one of the many things she loved about him. "This is serious."

"Yeah, it's serious, and I admit, it worries me, but… right now, there's nothing we can do." Morgan announced, taking a step forward. "If your mother has a problem with this, we both know she's going to come forward and make her feelings known. I say we ignore it until she does. If we don't make a big deal, maybe she won't either."

It wasn't Emily's first choice of action, but hearing it out loud made it sound like a good plan. She feared what her mother could be holding up her sleeve, but he had a point. If she had plans, she was going to execute them. Knowing they bothered her daughter would just spur the ambassador on further, always believing her actions were in Emily's best interest.

"You're right," She nodded, feeling slightly alleviated. "I'm sorry… I don't mean to get so worked up, I just… I love you. I don't want to lose you."

"You're not going to lose me." Morgan assured. "I can handle your mother… it's my mother we've got to be worried about. Ever since I brought you home, all she can talk about is grandkids." He paused a moment, turning away. "Of course, now I don't know what to tell her."

This was it, and Emily had no idea how to respond. "What did you usually tell her?"

"I usually change the subject, which I'm still doing." He went back to work on the crib, attempting to finish it alone. "I'm not sure how she'll respond to a 'maybe' on the issue."

Hurrying over, she got down to his working level and exclaimed, "Derek… please listen to me. My hesitation to have children has nothing to do with you… it's me."

"Wow," He answered, avoiding her eyes again. "You've been hanging out with Riley too much."

"I'm not saying I would make a bad mother. I know my mother loves me and, while she made numerous mistakes that I wouldn't dream of recommitting, she always cared about me. She loves me in her unique way… it's you I'm worried about."

He stopped mid-turn, the screw sticking out of the wood halfway. He looked at her in shock. "Why are you so worried about me? Because I've never been enthusiastic about kids? Neither was Reid until he met Parker."

"That's not it… Derek, I've told you all about my parents… about how they met and their divorce. Who knows if they would have gotten married if it hadn't been for me." She paused, turning slightly to dab at the corner of her eyes, hiding the tears. "I might have been young, but… I could see how much pain my father was in, how much my mother hurt him. She destroyed him. She spent years emasculating him before she ran out and took his only child away. I'd love to have a family with you, but there is a fear inside me that I might do something similar… I couldn't bear it if I hurt you."

Morgan's response was not what she expected. He was annoyed or bothered, he gave a smile. "See, I knew you wanted to have my babies."

"That's all you can focus on!?" She cried. "I'm pouring out my greatest fears here and you just-"

He silenced her with a powerful, opened mouth kiss. Emily gasped, her mind turning foggy from the taste of his lips and the delicious smell of him surrounding her. What were they talking about again?

As it ended her found her eyes, brushing back her hair. "Listen to me, Princess… I'm happy with the way things are right now… we've just never talked about it and… I didn't know how you felt. I want kids, I don't think I ever realized how much until I fell in love with you."

She smiled, "Well… I never wanted to have kids with someone until you… I think I do want us to have a family, just… not yet." She paused to take a breath. "We haven't been together that long, I just… I'd want us to be a little more stable before we make any decisions… to know that when we finally fully commit… it's forever."

"Fair enough," He replied. "You take all the time you need, Prentiss… I'm not going anywhere, and you'll see that soon enough."

Reaching over, he kissed her again. She let out a sigh, her hand grasping on his shirt like the world was about to take him away from her here and now.

Again, they hadn't realized they had an audience until Reid cleared his throat, getting their attention. "Looks like the two of you can't control yourselves either."

"What can I say, I love a good handyman." Emily smirked as she got to her feet.

"Hmm," He muttered, casually going to clean up the paint supplies in the corner of the room. "Just promise me you will keep your abnormal libidos in check when my daughter's here."

Emily was instantly shocked, her jaw dropping. Morgan hadn't noticed at first, but as the words registered, he stopped his work, slowly looking up to the kid. He continued gathering the paint trays, pouring the liquid back into the can.

"What did you just say, Reid?" He asked, standing up.

"How do you know you're having a girl?" Emily wondered, starting to smile. Everyone had been just as anxious to know the identity of the Reid baby as the parents were, each person having their own theory as to what it could be.

"Well," Reid couldn't help but grin, setting the tray down as he stood to face them. "I accidentally saw Riley's chart yesterday and… the sex of the baby was on the first page. I couldn't help reading it… or maybe I could and I didn't want to… subconsciously."

"Riley doesn't know, does she?" Emily questioned, knowing the cat would have been out of the bag much sooner if that were so.

He shook his head. "She wants to be surprised, so I'm respecting that. She's taking a nap before dinner, so she won't find out." His cheeks glowed pink as his smile widened. "I probably should have waited, but… I had to tell someone, I'm so excited!"

Emily cried, hurrying to give him a hug. "We're excited for you! A girl, that's so wonderful!"

Just as delighted, Morgan wondered. "Were you hoping for that, kid, or did you want a boy?"

"I wasn't really hoping for either," He insisted. "I would have been just as happy with a boy, I think… but there's something about having a girl that I really love…" He let out a nervous laugh, "My little girl… I really like the sound of that."

"It sounds pretty natural." Morgan nodded his approval. "You're going to make a great father, you know that?"

Emily agreed, giving him another hug, which he returned with great eagerness, so full of joy. He had his doubts, he was constantly shoving down his fears, and his nights were plagued with nightmares, all on the very aspect that he would never live up to the demands of being a father, but at a time like this, it was difficult to remember any of that. The day looked very bright, indeed.


	4. Phone Calls

A/N: I just want it on the record. I do know a lot about the Amish. I've spent most of my life around them, I've talked to them, learned about them in school, and I've been taught how to treat and respect them. I am trying to be as accurate as possible in this story and, while I doubt there are any Amish reading this, I still don't want to offend anyone. I have nothing but respect for the Amish and their lifestyle.

* * *

It was late. Very dark. The room was so cold. The fire in the stove must have burnt out. Anna shivered, turning onto her side and pulling the quilt closer around her.

"Sarah," she whispered in her sleep, hissing as her lips chattered. "Could you put more fire in the stove?"

There was no answer, but a creak sounded in the house. Anna allowed herself to drift off a bit, waiting for the heat to fill the room again.

When nothing happened, she shifted onto her back, trying to keep warm under the covers. "Sarah… please… I'm cold…"

Suddenly, she was startled awake as something pounced onto her bed. Anna gasped and opened her eyes, finding the darkness of the room around her. It was cold in here, but the sky was clear tonight. The moon was nearly full, drifting through the glass windows onto her bed, revealing the sleek black cat that jumped beside her.

"Simon," she whispered with a smile. "You scared me."

It was then she truly realized her bedroom was not just cold, it was freezing. Ice was forming on the windows. The stove must have been out for a long time.. Pulling the cat to her, she looked to her left. It was habit. Even though it was months ago, she still couldn't get used to the fact that the small bed beside her was empty. That Sarah was gone.

If she wanted to be warm, she'd have to do it herself. Holding her cat, Anna climbed out of bed, her long brunette hair hanging freely around her, soft and wavy. She shuddered as her bare feet hit the cold wood floor, smooth to the touch. Quickly, she padded the few steps to the wood burning stove, carefully opening the small door to find the flames had died to embers. Grabbing one of the logs her father had brought in yesterday, she tossed it in, closing the door before the flames rose up, licking around the fuel.

Warmth immediately began to push out into the room, heating it slowly. Quickly, Anna rushed back to bed, Simon held protectively in her arms.

Just before she climbed under the covers, another creak sounded in the house. The floorboards of the home her great-grandfather had built were all a little loose. It was hard for anyone to walk with the many creases and squeaks leading the way, but she knew where each one sounded, and she knew that creak, too… it was the one she always heard when stepping right outside her room.

She gasped again and covered her mouth with her free hand as she noticed a light was shining through the crack at the bottom. It was much brighter than a candle, like sunlight had been captured and was illuminating the house. Fear was creeping through her veins, like she'd just fallen through the ice into the creek.

Despite her terror, she set the cat onto the bed, stepping on her tiptoe closer to the door. Anna didn't make a peep, knowing the safest way to get over without any sound. With sharp reflexes, she bent down to see under the door, letting out a fearful squeak at the sight of the giant boots that stood there.

She was frozen with fear, remaining on her belly as she slid across the floor, the freezing cold soaking right through her woolen nightgown. It didn't matter what sounds she made, she just wanted to get to safety, hidden from view.

It was a struggle to fit under there. It had been a long time since she was a child and hid under here for fun, but this time she wasn't playing with Sarah… she was in fear of her life. Who could be out there? What could their family possibly have that they wanted?

The door opened slowly and she closed her eyes, covering her mouth to keep herself from sobbing. All she could do was pray… _please go away… please go away… God please, make them go away_…

* * *

All Reid wanted was a cup of coffee. He'd gotten no sleep over the last two nights. None. He had tried, but time after time, watching the train kill his wife and newborn daughter, he couldn't take it anymore. Eventually, he gave up, spending the long hours reading or pacing the house. He was definitely in trouble. He couldn't do his job if he didn't get any sleep, nor could he look after his wife. There was no way he would be a proper coach in the delivery room if he were a zombie, but every time he closed his eyes, he saw them die again. He had no idea how to get through this.

Riley, who had driven to work with him that morning, was beside him in the elevator. Her giggle distracted him, turning to see her caressing the curve of her stomach.

"What's so funny?" He wondered, curious.

She smiled at him, "The baby has the hiccups. Here, feel."

Without permission, she took his hand and set it on her belly. It didn't take long for a giggle to erupt through him, too, feeling the gentle vibrations rumble through her. It was the first time since he and his friends stepped out of the nursery that he felt really happy. He just had to remember to hang onto this feeling. After all, he was here. Riley was healthy and happy and keeping their baby safe until she was ready to come into the world. Reid would be here for the whole thing. Nothing would go wrong because he was right here.

With that happy thought, he reached up to press a kiss on her cheek. He buried his nose into her upswept hair, holding her close to him for a moment. He wasn't going anywhere. There wasn't any place more important that he needed to be.

They arrived at the sixth floor, the doors sliding open to let them off. Taking Riley's hand, he led her off through the group of people waiting to claim the car. The unit was already a busy mess, dozens of people hurrying in and out of the lobby. The glass doors stood open, as if beckoning them in.

Reid didn't notice, about to walk right past and into the unit, but Riley tugged on him. He stopped, looking to see her attention turned away… where Morgan stood. Apparently, they'd walked right past him and hadn't even noticed.

Curious, Reid asked, "What are you doing out here?"

"Shh!" He hissed, barely giving them a second glance. His attention remained inside, in the middle of the bull pen. Neither could resist the urge to look, to see what was so intriguing.

They found what they assumed was the object of Morgan's obsession. An older gentleman was in the middle of the bull pen. He was a very attractive man, considering his age, wearing a worn leather jacket and jeans. He looked to be waiting for someone, nonchalantly leaning on a desk. Not just anyone's desk… it was Emily's.

"Who is that?" Riley wondered, fascinated.

"I have no idea," Reid said, a little bothered by his presence. He'd never seen this man before, yet he was standing in the unit like it was as familiar as home. The two moved closer to Morgan; the easier to talk. "What does he want?"

Morgan didn't answer at first. It seemed like he didn't want to. There was a hitch in his voice as he said, very bitterly, "He's looking for Emily."

Stunned, they turned to Morgan in shock, "You spoke to him?" Reid wondered.

"No," He replied. "Some intern caught up to me when I came out of the elevator, she said he's asking around for Agent Prentiss and thought I might know where she is."

"She didn't come in with you this morning?" Riley questioned.

He shook his head. "We spent the weekend at my house, she wanted to check on her place and grab her mail before we left for the week, she should be here any minute."

Reid glanced back at the older man. He wasn't getting angry or impatient. He looked settled, ready for a long wait, not in the least bit perturbed no one was acknowledging him. "Maybe you should go talk to him." He suggested.

"Why the hell would I want to do that, Reid?" He questioned, at last turning to him, giving him a deadly glare.

"To find out what he wants, obviously." Reid pointed out. "You don't even know who he is."

"Oh, I know who he is." Morgan muttered bitterly, turning back to give the same threatening look at the stranger.

Reid couldn't understand how he knew that without even speaking to him. He was about to say that when he caught sight of Riley's face, carrying a bothered, yet knowing expression.

"What?" He wondered, glancing between both of them, unsure what he was missing. "Who is he?"

"Isn't it obvious, Honey?" She wondered, lowering her voice a bit. "You know Emily, and this is the FBI… someone official would have gone to Hotch first… this guy is waiting to speak to her directly." She paused, hoping he might get the hint, but for someone so intelligent, he was a bit slow on subjects like this. "He's probably an ex-boyfriend."

Not completely convinced, Reid glanced at him. Perhaps there was some proof to that theory. He did seem about Emily's type, and she was no stranger to older men… but Emily had been with Morgan for three years now, and he couldn't recall the mention of anyone serious before then. What interest could an old boyfriend want with her now?

"That may be, but wouldn't it be smarter to speak to him instead of making assumptions?" He wondered. He gave Riley's hand a squeeze to indicate they should be heading inside. Hotch was expecting her, and the team would need to get started soon.

Morgan didn't want to listen to his advice anyway. It seemed, however, he didn't have a choice. As calm as he appeared, he wasn't interested in waiting anymore. He stood and glanced around, heading quickly towards the lobby.

Stepping out, he couldn't ignore the small cluster that had formed. He took interest in them and walked over.

"Hi," He said pleasantly, "I'm looking for Agent Emily Prentiss, I believe she works here. Do you know her?"

Reid took the point to speak to him, knowing Morgan wouldn't. "Yes, we work with her."

Interested, he looked the young man over, and a smile spread on his face as he recognized him. "You must be Dr. Reid."

He was so stunned, he didn't know what to say. How could this man from Emily's past possibly know who he was? "Yes, I am."

He offered his hand, which Reid accepted slowly, not really sure how to respond. "Emily's told me so much about you, and is this Riley?"

"Yes," Reid said. No surprise he was bothered this stranger knew his wife by her first name. He put his arm around her, more to protect her than present her. "This is my wife."

"Nice to meet you, Emily always raves about you. How much longer do you have?" He wondered.

"Uh," Riley thought for a moment. "Almost two weeks."

"I bet your both really excited." He smiled.

He opened his mouth to say something more, but Morgan had had enough. He didn't know who this man was or his connection to Emily. Frankly, it angered him he had any contact with her and Morgan had never heard of him. Stepping forward, he spoke to him in the deadly tone that so rarely emerged outside of an interrogation room.

"Look, man," He said sternly. "Do you have a reason for being here?"

He wasn't intimidated, even with this powerful agent towering over him like King Kong. "I just wanted to talk to Emily. I haven't seen her in a long time… I miss her."

"Oh, do you?" Morgan asked. "Well, I think if Emily wanted to see… she would have seen you before now. Don't you think?"

Instead of being unsettled or scared, the older man just smiled. He appeared very pleased by this man's domineering, threatening attitude. "You must be Derek Morgan."

It made his chest tight that this man knew who he was and Morgan didn't in turn. "I am… and you are?"

He gave a chuckle, reaching up to give him a pat on the shoulder. "I need to be going. I'd ask you to tell Emily I stopped by, but… something tells me you won't. I'll speak to her soon though."

He headed towards the elevators, but instead of waiting in the tension filled lobby, chose the stairs, pushing the door open easily and heading out of sight. It latched closed and it was like the man had never been within the halls of the BAU.

"Well," Riley said slowly, "that was awkward."

"What the hell, he didn't even introduce himself!" Morgan cried, troubled and angered by what just happened.

"Well, he might have if you hadn't interrupted him." Reid stated. At that, he got the coldest, most dangerous glare he'd ever received from his friend. "Maybe, I guess… I don't… know…"

"Morgan, you're not actually worried about that guy, are you?" Riley wondered. "I mean, it's not like anything's going on between him and Emily, there can't be."

He hesitated a moment before he voiced, "How do you know that?"

"Because Emily's crazy about you!" She exclaimed without missing a beat. "She wouldn't do anything to jeopardize that. More importantly, why would she want to? You keep her more than satisfied."

"Then how come this guy knew all three of us… and we've never heard of him?" Morgan demanded, staring daggers at the both of them. Without another word, he stormed past the two into the bull pen, consumed by his worried thoughts.

Riley wasn't sure what to say. She looked to her husband with worry, knowing there was already enough tension between the couple lately.

"Come on," Reid said, taking her hand again. "Hotch is expecting you."

He tried to give her a confident smile, knowing she was worried. If their friends were in trouble, it wasn't their fault. They could be there and support them, but when it came down to it, there was only so much they could do. The rest was up to Derek and Emily.

* * *

"I'm so excited, Aaron!" Alexa exclaimed over the phone. She was practically giddy. "I can't stop flipping through the brochure, it looks like so much fun!"

"I know, I've always wanted to go to Vermont." Hotch said smiling. He'd been planning this trip for weeks and finally surprised her with it this weekend. He'd never forget how her face lit up, ecstatic at the thought of going away for a Valentine's Day weekend.

"Are you sure skiing's not that hard to learn?" She wondered a little nervous.

"I don't know, I never tried." Hotch answered. He heard her laugh and couldn't help but join her.

"Well, even if I fall and break my leg, it'll still be the best Valentine's celebration I ever had." She teased.

"I appreciate you spending it a week early." Hotch asked. "I really want to be here when the baby's born. It's important."

Alexa hesitated a moment. "Do you really think that's a good idea, Aaron? I mean… he's going to be dealing with a lot. Don't you think it's a little selfish using that to our advantage?"

"I understand your concern, Sweetheart, but…" He paused, taking a deep breath. "I know him. There would never be a better to tell him about us. Trust me."

He could hear her smile on the other end as she replied, "I trust you… I want him to accept us and if you think that's best, than… I won't argue."

"Everything will be fine, I promise," he said as a knock sounded on the door. "Come in."

He watched as the door opened and Riley poked her head in. "Hey, I got your text this morning, what's up?"

Hotch held up his finger, needing a minute to say goodbye. "Uh, someone just walked in so I've got to go."

"Okay," she said reluctantly, hating to say goodbye. She always hated to let him go, he knew. Saying goodbye to him at the curb last night said it all, clinging to each other like he was going off to fight the Nazis. Hotch had that three hour drive back to Washington, though. As much as he wanted to stay, he had to get home.

"You will call me tonight, won't you?" She asked, hopeful.

"Absolutely," he replied. "As soon as I check in."

"Be careful," Alexa ordered. "I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Nothing's going to happen to me, I promise," He replied as Riley guided herself into one of the seats across from him. He paused, wanting so badly to tell her he loved her. Even if he were alone, though, he knew he couldn't. They'd barely been dating three months, the ink on her divorce papers was barely dry. It was just too soon. "Goodbye."

"Bye," she said, hanging on to the line. Hotch waited one more moment before he slowly hung up the receiver, giving his guest a smile. "Good morning, how are you feeling this morning?"

Ignoring his question, Riley folded her arms. "Who was that?"

Feeling a bit caught off guard, it took a moment for him to respond. "What are you talking about?"

"Who were you talking to?" She questioned, much too interested. "And why haven't I heard about her?"

He hesitated, his face turning impassive and cold. "What makes you think it was a woman?"

"You mean besides the fact your voice was steadily higher than natural when you were saying goodbye?" She mentioned with a significant smile. "Come on, Aaron, I may not be some genius like my Brianiac out there, but I know when a man is talking to a woman he loves."

He avoided her eyes, looking to his paperwork like it was the most important thing in the world. "Riley, I don't wish to talk about this, not now."

"Hey!" She exclaimed. This was not like him. "I understand if you don't want the others to know, but… this is me. You know you can trust me, anything you tell me will stay between us."

"That can't happen this time." He explained, looking up to meet her eyes again. "You're married."

Puzzled, "What's that got to do with anything? I don't have to tell Spencer everything."

"You do if who I'm dating directly affects him." He explained, and wanted to leave it at that.

It was a no win situation, either way she was going to get the answer. She wouldn't leave it alone until she knew the truth and, by the slightest hint that it involved her husband, it narrowed down the possibilities considerably.

In less than a minute, she understood. Besides his parents, Spencer was the sole remaining member of his family, that left out any sisters or relatives. At that thought, she immediately thought back to approximately six months ago… in Vegas… and a the little scene she witnessed in the police station. A much too friendly interaction… the way he looked at her… a blind man could see the way he felt about her.

"Oh, Aaron," Riley muttered, shaking her head. "Tell me you're not dating Alexa Hillman."

He hesitated a moment, saying, "She changed her name back to Lisbon."

Riley gasped, "Are you kidding me! Aaron, she's like twenty years younger than you!"

"Not quite, and the age shouldn't matter!" Hotch cried. "We care about each other… and it wasn't my intention. When we left Vegas, I expected to leave her behind in it."

Her back hurting slightly, Riley shifted herself a bit to ease the pain. "But?" she pushed.

"She reached out to me. Alexa called me… to say thank you… and we…" He cleared his throat, knowing there was no way to get out of talking about this now, "we talked."

He stood up from behind his desk and moved, taking the empty seat beside her. "She told me about how she was turning her life around, moving out of Vegas, going back to school… about how much she wanted to change herself so she could give her children a better life. They started over in Philadelphia and… I started driving up to see them when I could."

"Really?" Riley twitted. "She's a married woman."

"Not anymore, and we didn't start dating right away." He clarified. "We became friends, like you and Spencer."

She squirmed a bit, both from the baby pressing into her bladder and also guilt about how she and her husband started their relationship. "That was a little different."

"But similar." He assured. "I started driving up to Philadelphia on weekends I was free… we spent time together, we got to know each other, I talked her through her divorce… and then, three months ago, when everything was official, we decided to officially date."

"Awe," Riley said with a slight smile. "That really sounds nice."

"We wanted to take it slow… for our kids, I guess." He shrugged. "Or maybe we're just scared."

"That's understandable," Riley voiced sympathetically. "Just like Alexa, the only person you've ever been serious with was your high school sweetheart. In a way, neither of you really know how to date. It's smart to take your time… if you really care about each other, there's no reason to rush."

"Which is why I'm taking her out of town this weekend." He said delightedly and obviously anxious. "I think our first time together should be special and… romantic. Or maybe I'm just trying to hide the fact that I'm nervous… I mean the only person I've ever been with is Hayley."

He hung his head slightly, like a young boy who was trying to live a pretense thanks to the threat of peer pressure. Riley had to admit, it was a little cute. She reached her hand out to pat his arm, trying to show comfort and support.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about." She said with a smile. "At least, not with Alexa… telling Spencer, however, is another story."

"I know," He shook his head, looking up. "I swear, Riley, I never meant to do this to him. If we'd never spoken after Vegas, I think everything would have been fine, I would have been able to let her go, but, once we started talking… I couldn't stay away from her. She's unlike any person I've ever known and when I'm with her… I feel like a new man. She makes me want to be the best person I can. The way she looks at me makes me feel like a god, I can't explain it… I think I'm in love with her."

No, he _was_ in love with her. A man didn't speak about another person like that unless he was in love. "If you just explain that to Spencer, I'm sure he'll understand… at least after awhile. The problem is, you can't keep something like this from him. He doesn't like to be lied to or manipulated and he definitely does not like to be left out of the loop. I'll never forget how angry he was at Morgan and Emily."

"What about Morgan and Emily?" He questioned at once, as if he had no idea.

Riley's eyes nearly popped out of her head. Damn this pregnancy, making her so forgetful. Just this very morning, she spent twenty minutes searching for her keys only to discover they were next to her purse all along. "Uh…" She muttered, closing her eyes, begging her tired mind to think of an excuse and fast. She couldn't think of anything. "Nothing important, I really can't remember now. What I'm saying is if you respect Spencer, you need to tell him, and the sooner the better."

"I will," He answered, his hand reached out, landing on her swollen belly. He gave the baby inside a little pat, getting a kick in response. The baby was getting its morning workout in, as Riley liked to say, its little legs flaying like a Rockette. "I'm going to do it in a few weeks… in fact, I have the perfect opportunity in mind."

She needed only a moment to realize what he was saying. "That's not a bad idea… I can't imagine a time he would be a in a better mood."

"Yes, I thought so." He smiled. "So… if you could just keep this between us for the time being."

His eyes found hers with a pleading expression. Aaron Hotchner was so rarely at the mercy of another person. It was just proof how he really cared about her husband, that he didn't want to hurt Reid, it was just something that happened. Something he had no control over, much like how she and Reid fell in love.

"Well… you kept my secret once," Riley said, caressing her bump. Hotch had once learned of the knowledge that Dr. Parker had been intimate with her patient, and if he hadn't kept that to himself, this baby might have never come to be.

"Thank you," He said, incredibly relieved. "Listen, I'm sorry I couldn't make it to your baby shower. I was going to stay, but Hayley said Max wanted to take Jack on an impromptu camping trip with his brother and newphews."

"That's seems a little inconsiderate." Riley grumbled. "They just expect you to change your plans so suddenly, what if you had had something planned?"

Hotch shrugged. He knew Riley had held a grudge against Hayley since the divorce, forcing Hotch to make the impossible decision between his life's work and his family. That was one reason he knew she'd never put Reid into such a position.

"Regardless, I didn't argue. I haven't told her about Alexa yet, either, so I don't want to upset her. And Jack seemed so excited about going. Anyway, I didn't want to let the weekend go to waste."

"I see, so your little girlfriend is more important than your friends." She teased, playfully pushing his arm.

"You know that's not true." He assured, "I have a present for you, too and… it's not really something physical I can give you."

"What is it?" She asked, intrigued, unable to think what it could be.

He grinned, almost proudly, "I set up a college fund for the baby. I put two thousand dollars in to start and I'll put in about 500 every year until the baby graduates high school. You and Reid have control over it, though, so you can put in as much as you want."

Shocked, "Oh, Hotch… you didn't have to do that."

"I wanted to, it's my present." He insisted. "You're going to need it. With both you and Reid as the parents, this child is definitely college bound and, I read by the time he or she's a freshman, tuition at Harvard's going to be upwards of 100,000 dollars a year."

Riley laughed, "Then I guess we'd better start saving now."

"Of course, your baby doesn't have to go to Harvard." Hotch pointed out, but one glance from the expectant mother told him that was out of the question, and he couldn't help but laugh.

* * *

Reid took a long sip of his coffee, sighing with relief as he swallowed it, the liquid warming him from the inside out. Already, he could feel the effects of caffeine awakening his body, getting him ready for the day.

Sitting at his desk, he saw the stacks of folders awaiting his attention. He'd have most of the week to work on them, only stepping away when the team needed him for a quick consult. He wasn't sure where they were heading yet. He was simply glad he wasn't going along. His time was better spent here.

Remembering what sat in his bag, Reid reached inside, extracting Riley's old copy of The Shining. He didn't read it much, really. He just kept it nearby for sentimental reasons, making him feel like his wife was always with him. Among the pages, he'd slip important things in there, items he'd need at a moment's notice later, as he'd done in Seattle.

This time he pulled out the new photograph. The sonogram taken last Friday. His daughter positioned in profile, like she was posing for him. One of the thousands of photographs he planned to take of her.

His finger traced along the line of her tiny nose. She was perfectly safe where she was now, but about in three weeks? When she came into the world?

He wished he could tell her that everything would be alright. That he would do everything to protect her, to keep her safe. He loved his daughter so much already, he couldn't imagine loving her more when she got here.

His phone ringing brought him back to Earth. He set the sonogram on the desk, reaching over to quickly answer it. It was a mystery as to who would be calling him so early on a Monday morning. "Hello, this is Dr. Reid."

"Spencer," William Reid sounded on the other end. "Hi, I hope I'm not disturbing you."

"Uh," Reid hadn't been expecting to hear from his father today. The line had a bit of static, another indication of how much distance was between them… and not just miles. "No… hi, Dad, how are you doing?"

"Okay," He answered, awkwardly. Things had changed a lot between them over the last few years. Conversations were a regular every few weeks and when Reid visited his mother, he made a point to spend some time with his father as well. Still, though, there was a tension between them. They could always feel it when they started a conversation, and both would pretend it wasn't there. Reid hated it, but he had no idea how he could make it go away.

"How are you?" He said after a moment. "How's Riley?"

"Wonderful," He answered enthusiastically. "She's got about three weeks to go. She's doing fine, just a little tired, and the baby is perfectly healthy."

"That's fantastic," Will said happily, "You must be pretty excited, you guys are getting close."

"I am excited… nervous," he added before he could stop himself. It was strange, he didn't want to talk about this with anyone, but with his father – the one person he was certain would understand – was the last person he wanted to voice this to.

He heard a light chuckle on the other end. "I can't tell you how nervous I was when you were due. It's perfectly natural."

That didn't exactly make him feel better. His greatest fear was making the same mistakes his father did. He could fully understand why his father did what he did all those years ago, protecting his mother at all costs. His father loved his mother as he loved Riley, and Reid would kill to keep her safe. But it led to a spiral that drove his father away. Will Reid could have had this from the beginning: the fear that he'd never live up to what his family needed. What if this was how it started, up until the point it just became too much and the dam broke?

He strained his mind to try and remember his childhood, to when his father was there. Did he remember someone being up late at night? Walking the halls, the light coming in under his door… was it there and he just blocked it out?

"Any chance you'll make it to DC in a few weeks, Dad?" Reid wondered. He hoped his father would be here for the birth, to get to share in this joyous occasion with the rest of his family.

"I think I can," Will promised, and Reid knew he meant it. "I'm in the middle of a big project right now, but we should have it finished up within a week or two. I've told everyone about my coming grandchild, so they know I'll want to be there."

Reid was thrilled at how excited his father was. He'd never forget how ecstatic he'd become when they finally told him in Riley's fourth month, deciding it was best to wait until the pregnancy was a little more stable. It wasn't a surprise Will told everyone he knew about it.

He cleared his throat carefully, voicing another fear that had been plaguing him. One he didn't often talk about because he didn't want to upset Riley. "How do you think Mom's going to take this, Dad?"

There was a pause on the other end, just the hum of static for a moment before he answered. "I've been trying to think about that myself," Will admitted. "I think how we've worked it out is best. I don't believe there's a better way, especially if you want her to be involved in the baby's life… but I am nervous, too."

"How exactly does a son tell his mentally ill mother he had a child with someone she thinks is a government conspiracy?" Reid wondered, rubbing his tired eyes in frustration. "I have yet to read that in any of my baby books… and I've read nearly 200, and most of them were in English."

Will gave a disbelieving chuckle, still amazed at the wonder his son's mind was. "I wish I knew the best way, Spencer. Your mother's always been a mystery to me… but I think she might surprise us. She might not be happy with how it came about, but she loves you… and I think she'll really love her grandchild."

He hoped he was right. "Thanks, Dad," Reid nodded.

After another moment's pause, Will questioned, "How about you? How are you dealing with all this?"

"Oh me?" Reid replied, hoping his tone didn't sound forced or strained. "No, I'm fine, why would you think otherwise?"

"Well, this is a stressful time, Spencer." His father answered. "Becoming a father is an incredibly taxing and fearful time. You can talk to me, you know… I've been there."

How was he supposed to respond to that? He loved his father, but a part of him couldn't forgive him. He abandoned him, forcing him to care for his sick mother when he was barely tall enough to reach a kitchen counter. He endured endless torture at school, ridicule and condesenation from the whole world and for so long, was forced to bare the burden alone. If it hadn't been for Gideon, Spencer knew there was little hope he would have survived this job. Who knew what his life would have turned into. He wasn't a person who could let go of that easily.

And what if the old saying was true? Did history really repeat itself? Reid could be destined to make the same mistakes as his father. The clues could be in front of him right now and he was just ignoring them. Holding on to that calm and happy feeling was much easier said than done.

No, he couldn't bring himself to tell him. Burying everything deep down, as he taught himself to do many years ago, Reid replied. "No, Dad. I'm doing just fine."

"Spence," a voice called from up on the catwalk. Reid looked over to see JJ standing outside the conference room door. "We're ready."

"Dad, I've got to go." Reid announced. "But I'll call you this weekend. We'll make plans for when you come to town and I'll let you talk to Riley."

"Sounds great." Reid answered. "I'd better head to work before I get stuck in traffic. Give a Riley a kiss from me."

"I will," Reid replied.

"And Spencer," Will announced before he could hang up, "I'm really looking forward to seeing you."

He could only manage half the same enthusiasm as he replied. "Me, too, Dad… I can't wait for you to meet the baby."

They said goodbyes and hung up just as Hotch and Riley stepped out of his office. Her hand was positioned in the small of her back, supporting the strain the extra weight was putting on her. Before she could get away, Hotch reached out and grabbed her wrist, pulling her attention back to him. He gave her a small smile which Riley couldn't help but return.

That made Reid very happy. He'd hate it if Riley felt she couldn't open up to her husband, but at least he knew she had someone to lean on. She had someone to open up to… Reid wasn't so lucky.

He knew these dreams meant something. They always had, his abnormal brain's way of warning him, trying to give him a clue. When he had dreams about Riley Jenkins, all Morgan did was look for the simplest solution, that he was troubled by the case or he was angry at his father. There had been more to it than that, and therefore he knew there was truth to these new nightmares. His family was in danger, but was it from the realities of the world… or from himself?


	5. An Unusual Case

Reid headed up the stairs, meeting Riley and Hotch outside his office. "Hey," he said, "everything okay?"

"Wonderful," Riley said, brushing her arm. "Hotch set up a college fund for the baby."

Speechless, he looked to him with amazement, offering to shake his hand. "Wow, that's… incredibly generous, thank you."

"Well… I wanted to do something for the baby and, I thought this was a little more practical than a blanket." He explained, "Although, judging by the amount of yarn I saw Garcia bring into her office this morning, I think she's got that covered."

Reid had to laugh, "Still, though, Hotch… it takes a considerable investment to start one of those, I can't… please, let me do something to thank you for that."

"Reid, it was a gift." Hotch assured sternly. "All I want is for that money to go to good use someday, and it being your child, I'm certain it will."

"He really cares about us, Sweetie," Riley stated, continuing to stroke his arm gently. "Both of us, and the baby… it's important you always remember that."

Hotch gave her a half glance, warning her not to give anything away right now. He could only hope she could keep his secret for the next few weeks. Normally, he wouldn't worry, but judging how she nearly brought the truth of Morgan and Emily into the open, he wasn't so sure she'd remember to hold her tongue.

"I do," Reid announced, thankfully not noticing a thing. "If there's anything you need, Hotch, please don't hesitate to ask."

"Right now, I think we ought to get started." The usual, professional agent emerged, ready to start the day. "Is everyone here?"

"We're still waiting on Emily, but I imagine she'd be here any minute." Reid explained.

Hotch nodded, "Then I'll see you in there. Have a good day, Riley."

"You, too." Riley replied, letting him walk off. Turning back to her husband, she felt a stirring of guilt in her stomach. She hated keeping secrets from him, a little angry at Hotch that he put her in this position. But, she made a promise and couldn't go back on it. It wasn't like she was involved, anyway, she was just an unwilling third party.

"Heading to work?" He asked rhetorically, hating to see her go.

"Yeah, I've got a session in less than an hour, I'd better get going." She said, seeing the worry in his eyes. Even constantly surrounded by profilers, no one could read him better than her. Her hand came up to brush his cheek. "But I'll see you tonight?"

"Absolutely," Reid assured. "I should be done by five, then we'll spend the rest of the night relaxing at home."

"Oh, I like the sound of that!" Riley exclaimed, "How about I cook dinner?"

Reid attempted to say this without hurting her feelings. "No, I don't want you on your feet any more than you have to be. Everything might be fine, but I still want you to take it easy. I'll pick up dinner, anything you want."

She gave him a half glare, "You're such a bad liar. You could just say you hate my cooking."

He immediately began to argue. "I don't hate it, it has gotten much better… I just mean-"

"Shut up," She said, grabbing his shirt to pull him down, his lips crashing against hers. She sighed happily as their kiss quickly went from gentle to passionate.

Emily was hurrying in at that moment, knowing she was running late. She knew when she signed her name to that lease nearly a decade ago it had been a mistake. It might have been safer to sign over her soul to devil. How was she going to fix this? Any angle she looked at it, it was a no win situation. Worse yet, how was she going to tell Morgan?

Glancing up, she spotted the married couple in the middle of their zealous kiss, like two lovers in the French films she loved so much, the ones Morgan always grumbled when he had to watch them. Well, at least someone was happy this morning.

Their lips parted and Riley pressed her lips to his quickly for just another second. Reid shuddered a bit as she let him go, wishing they could just go home and spend the day in bed together.

"Those hormones still driving you crazy, huh?" Reid mentioned, smiling.

"No," Riley giggled. "You just taste like coffee."

Reid blushed, but laughed, his hand landing on her stomach, rubbing it gently. "You sure you feel alright today? You wouldn't rather go home and eat ice cream and watch Grey's Anatomy?"

"As much fun as that sounds, I can't just not show up today." She explained seriously.

"I just don't like you working so much. You're not sleeping enough as it is, I don't want too much stress put on you." He explained, feeling the baby give a few kicks. The little one was going at it this morning. He smiled down at her bump, anticipating the day he finally got to hold her. "I'd feel so much better if you just took it easy until the birth.

Maybe she was being selfish. She did feel fine and knew she could keep this up for the next few weeks, but it wasn't just her and the baby's health she was responsible for. Maybe this was why Spencer was having nightmares and spent the nights awake, trying not to wake her but always did. He was so worried. If she could make him feel better, she should at least meet him halfway.

Riley thought for a moment and took a deep breath. "How about a compromise? Let me work until Friday and give my lecture on Wednesday. If you do that and don't complain about it anymore. You make no mentions about my health than to just see how I'm feeling, and I promise, Friday night… I will officially start my maternity leave."

"Really?" Reid said with hope and gratitude.

She smiled, pleased to see him so happy. "Yes, but you have to hold up your end of the bargain."

"I will," He exclaimed joyfully, pulling her into his arms. "I will, I promise… thank you."

He suddenly felt much more relaxed. He could keep quiet about this for the rest of the week, and then she would be home safe, letting her body rest and get ready for the baby. As she pressed a kiss into his hair, he felt like he could finally breathe. Everything would be fine.

Standing up, he met her eyes, feeling the baby kick a few more times. "Hey you," He muttered, patting her belly some more. "How about you give your mama a break this morning? You've been going nonstop since five."

"I doubt he'll listen." Riley said, her hand resting over his.

Reid was confused. "He? What… what makes you call it 'he'?"

"Because I'm tired of calling the baby 'it'." She explained. "I want to be surprised, but it really makes me feel like I'm carrying an alien… and besides, I have a really strong feeling it's a boy."

"So…" Reid said cautiously, a little worried. "You… want a boy?"

"Well…" She couldn't suppress her grin. "I know I shouldn't hope for it, but… yeah, I really want a boy. Ever since we first started talking about it." Her hands cupped his face, allowing her to look deeply into his hazel eyes. "I want a sweet little boy, just like his daddy."

Reid struggled to keep his worry and disappointment down. He thought for a moment he ought to tell her the truth, it might be too disappointing in a few weeks, when the baby finally arrived. It didn't feel like the right time, though. Maybe tonight, over dinner… or maybe he should just wait for her to see for herself.

"You'd better get in there." She said, placing another kiss on his lips. "I'll call you later, I love you."

"I love you, too." He replied, brushing her stomach one more time. "Both of you."

They kissed one more time before she headed back down to the bull pen, heading to Reid's desk.

"Hey, Em," she said, pulling on her coat again.

"Morning," Emily said, obviously trying to hide her despondent. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired and my back is aching." She moaned a bit, trying to stretch the pain a bit. It seemed rather constant this morning; hopefully, once she sat down, it would ebb away a bit. "I can't wait to get home and lay on my heating pad."

Reid, listening up above, had to almost painfully bite his tongue back so as not to suggest she do just that. He had to hold up his end of the deal. Let her get through this week, and then that was that.

"Well, try to take it easy, Sweetie." Emily ordered. "At least Reid's here to take care of you."

She couldn't describe how happy she was about that. Grabbing her bag and keys, she said her goodbyes and headed out. Leaning on the rail, Reid watched her as she waddled her way back to the lobby and out to the elevator.

"Are you alright?" Emily asked with consideration.

"Yeah," Reid mumbled, not entirely sincere. She came up the steps to join him, seeing the strain on his face. She was starting to wonder who this pregnancy was harder on, him or Riley.

"So," she wondered, "Do you plan to tell her she's having a girl or… just wait for her to find out?"

"Which do you think would be better?" Reid questioned, looking to her for advice.

"Well, doesn't she want to be surprised in the first place?" Emily wanted illuminated. "If that's the case, I'd say you just let nature take its course."

"But she's hoping for a boy. When the baby comes and she discovers we didn't get what she wanted… I mean, I know she'll love her no matter what, but after going through labor and dealing all those hormones, not to mention the loss of not having her baby a part of her anymore… she could develop very severe post-partum depression. It could take a long time for her to recover from that." He took a deep breath. "I think maybe I should tell her now."

Emily shook her head, trying not to let her already strained psyche get the best of her. "And I think, just maybe, you worry too much."

"What-"

"You know what I mean!" She exclaimed. "It's understandable, after all the fears and doubts she's had about motherhood, that you're watching her like a hawk. But she's come a long way in six months. She's not only okay with this, she's genuinely happy. She's excited and it's obvious how much she loves the baby. Look, if you want to tell her, do it because you want to share the news with her… not because you think she can't handle it. When Riley finds out she's having a girl… I think she'll be very happy. You should have more faith in her."

Reid suddenly felt like a jerk. He had every belief in his wife that she would love the baby and would be a good mother, yet he still obsessed over her, just waiting for the next breakdown. He had to give her the benefit of the doubt now.

"Hey," JJ called from down at the conference room. "Not to nag, guys, but we kind of want to get started in here."

"We're coming," Reid said. At once, the two started to make their way down the catwalk. JJ hurried back in, waiting for the two to join them.

"Oh, before I forget," Reid said, which was a very ironic statement, Emily noted, "there was a man here looking for you before."

She didn't seem bothered by that, simply surprised and curious. "Really? Who?"

"We didn't catch his name, but he did know who we were." Reid answered. "Even Riley, and she has the theory he might have been an ex-boyfriend. Morgan seems to agree."

"I don't have any contact with any ex-boyfriends." Emily noted. "What did he look like?"

"Uh… an older gentleman. He black hair with a some gray littered through it, lean… he wore a leather jacket with a red strip down the arms, it was kind of old."

"Oh, God," Emily cried. Her hands rubbed at her temples, fighting off the stress migraine that had been developing since this morning. As if this day couldn't get any worse. "This is all I need right now."

"Why, what's going on? Who was he?" Reid wondered, concerned.

Even if he didn't have enough to deal with at the moment, she didn't feel the need to burden him. This was her mess to deal with and no one else's. "It's not important, let's go, we don't want to keep the others waiting."

She hurried inside, looking just as stressed as he felt these days. It seemed he wasn't the only one dealing with problems these days. Right now, he had to put that out of his mind. It was time to get to work.

* * *

Reid and Emily took two of the last remaining seats at the table. She noticed as soon as she stepped in there was an open seat beside Morgan. It seems ever since JJ and Garcia found out, they group made it a point to let the two sit together as often as possible. Today, however, he treated her like she didn't exist, and the seat to his right remained vacant.

JJ stood at the front of the room, as usual, but she didn't start right away. It seemed Hotch was beginning today's presentation, standing before the group very solemnly. They knew what he was about say was not to be taken lightly.

"I need to state that today we are taking a case that is out of the ordinary," He began, his face hard and stern. No one would dare to question this man with such an expression focused on them. "The facts of it are nothing unfamiliar, but the victims are unlike any we have encountered before. I need to stress how important it is to treat these people with the utmost respect. Each and every one of you is a representative of this institution and I, as well as my superiors, expect you to act in a way that's respectful and empathetic, just like with any other victim. Is that understood?"

The others glanced at each other. None of them had ever heard this speech before. Even Rossi, the oldest member of the BAU, was just as perplexed as the rest of them.

"We promise, sir," Emily announced, speaking for them. "We won't let you down."

"That's what I wanted to hear." Hotch responded. He looked to JJ, moving to take his seat again. "It's all yours."

JJ nodded and picked up the remote. The presentation proceeded as normal. Reid was so taken aback by his chief's sudden order of good conduct, he didn't even bother to begin reading the file at first.

"Approximately four weeks ago, in Pine Clove, Pennsylvania, an Amish family by the name of Springer was murdered in their home in the middle of the night. The parents were stabbed in their sleep as well as their two eldest boys, ages fourteen and thirteen. Their other four children, three girls and a boy, were all under the age of ten. Each were smothered with a pillow, which the killer took with him. Their bodies were discovered the next day by a neighbor."

She brought up pictures of the town and the home, revealing photos of the crime scenes and finally the bodies, at which point Garcia had to look away. There were no pictures of the victims when they were alive, however.

"The next week, two more families were struck, the Bauchmans and the Helbergers. All were killed the same way. All adults and children over the age of twelve were stabbed and bled to death, children younger than twelve were smothered."

"The killer obviously feels remorse for the children." Emily announced, studying the file. "He doesn't want to kill them, yet feels he has to… but why?"

"Maybe he wants to make it a clean sweep." Morgan suggested, looking over the photo of the bloodbath that was the Springers' marital bed. "Make sure all people living in the house are taken care of."

Rossi had his own theory, speaking next. "He could feel the adults need to be punished for something, and the children are innocent so their deaths should be as painless as possible."

JJ clicked the remote again, revealing another house and new crime scenes and victims. It was obvious Garcia was struggling with this, but attempted to stay strong and face this just as the others were.

"The next week, the killer escalated, however." She clarified. "The kills were much more efficient, slicing major arteries first before stabbing the victims repeatedly. He also moved to sexual abuse; while the mothers and grandmothers were left alone, any girls over the age of 12 were raped before being murdered, but the deaths of the children remained the same. Three families fell that week: The Brennemans, the Planks, and the Stuckleys."

"That's six families!" Garcia exclaimed, appalled. "How could the police have let it escalate so quickly before calling us?"

"Because the police still didn't know at that point." Hotch clarified.

"That makes sense," Reid said as he looked up after finally flipping through the file. The others looked at him in amazement, and he instantly knew to explain. "The Amish are a closed community. While on occasion they will interact with the outside world, or English as they refer to us, they wouldn't seek our law enforcement for help immediately."

"That seems foolish," Emily voiced, "Wouldn't they want justice for the people in their town that were slaughtered?"

"That's just it, they wouldn't." Reid corrected. "The Amish are a peaceful people, they believe wildly in forgiveness. In 2006, Charles Roberts went to Amish school house and shot 10 girls before killing himself. Despite the grief and the horrific act, the community almost immediately showed their forgiveness to him by visiting his family to offer compassion for their loss as well as going to Roberts' funeral."

"So then why did they go to police now?" Morgan wondered.

"It seemed once the seventh family was killed in a three week period, they realized the killer was not going to stop." JJ announced. "They needed help and went to the local police. Saturday night, the eighth family, The Lambrights, were found dead, all killed the same way except for one detail. The body of the eldest daughter, fourteen year old Anna, is missing."

"How do they know she's dead?" Rossi questioned.

"The floor of her bedroom is covered in blood, indicating she was stabbed just as the others. Most of the bedding from her bed is gone, too, so the unsub must have wrapped her in it when he took her." She explained further.

"Why would he waiver from his MO like that?" Reid wondered.

"They're not sure, and it's one of the reasons why the police contacted the Bureau yesterday." Hotch said. "He might have a plan for Anna Lambright, but the fact is, he's not going to stop killing these families. In four weeks, he's killed nearly fifty people."

"He obviously doesn't want to get caught," Rossi noted, "And odds are, he won't stop until we catch him."

"The least amount of time he takes between kills is two days, so we don't have much time before he could strike again." Hotch said, closing the file. "We'll go into more details on the plane, wheels up in thirty."

The others immediately got out of their chairs, preparing to head off and complete any unfinished business before leaving. Reid shot out of his chair, beginning to gather his things, his outrageous mind in a completely different place. The evidence was handled and examined how to fit together, like piecing the parts of a complicated jigsaw puzzle.

"Reid," Hotch cried, getting his attention. Everyone but Garcia had already slipped out without his noticing. "Garcia had a map of the Pine Clove and Lancaster County brought into her office, I think it's best you two stick together for most of the day. You can start on the geographical profile in there. Provided theirs no pressing matters, you'll be free to go home at five."

He'd nearly forgotten. He wasn't going on this case, but working right here in Quantico. Suddenly, he felt a heavy weight sink into his stomach. Why, he didn't know.

"Oh," he muttered, sinking back a bit. His initial energy and stamina at starting this case was ebbing away, feeling like he wasn't a part of it at all. "Great, thanks."

"Are you okay, Reid?" He questioned, sensing his remorse.

Reid nodded, "Yeah, I, uh…" he shook his head. "It's just a little unsettling, working from home and all."

Hotch understood that, starting to walk towards the door. "You'll do fine. But I will tell you, Reid, I wish you were going to be with us on this one."

"Why do you say that?" He wondered, confused.

He hesitated a moment, trying to choose his words carefully. "It's just going to be hard to get used to you not being there… your talents and extensive knowledge are very much needed on a case like this. I don't think we tell you that enough."

That may be true, but that didn't seem the real reason. In fact, Reid was certain it wasn't. He could tell when the people closest to him were lying right to his face.

But, instead of dwelling on it, he gave a small smile. "Thank you, sir."

"We'll see you when we get back." Hotch nodded, and stepped out, heading down to his office.

Getting out of her seat, Garcia questioned carefully, "You okay there, Sugar Plum?"

He shrugged, picking up his things. "I guess… I've got a lot on my mind."

She smiled at that, "Well, don't think this is a vacation, Papa Bear. You're my bitch now and you are not going to be spending your down time thinking up baby names and making obscene phone calls to your wife."

Unexpectedly, Reid let out a giant laugh. He was probably just feeling guilty about not going with the team, as if he were abandoning his post when these people needed him most. This would take some getting used to, and he could always depend on his friends for a smile.


	6. Missing Children

The team was quiet as they got on the plane. There were a lot of unanswered questions about this new case, but all knew for certain they were about to face a circumstance none had encountered before. It was important each and every one of them got into the right frame of mind. Emily had to push her personal problems aside for now to focus. She'd deal with them when she got back… if it wasn't too late.

The others clambered onto the plane, getting out from the frigid winter air, made even colder by bitter winds. They had to get underway soon before these blows brought in another storm. Emily ascended the stairs, spotting Morgan right in front of her. With most of the others inside, she knew now would be the last opportunity to talk until at least tonight. Just to be sure everything was okay between them. Of all the uncertainty in her life, she needed him on her side.

Hurrying to close the distance, her hand landed on his shoulder just before he reached the opened door. "Hey," She said tentatively. She was grateful when he turned around, but her elation faded quickly when seeing the expression on his face. So cold, it made the day around them feel like springtime.

"What?" He wanted to know, his voice hollow.

"I, uh…" She wasn't sure what to tell him. There was so much, too much to explain in a matter of moments. "I just wanted to see if you're okay."

"If I'm okay?" He wondered, facing her fully. Morgan felt a pain in his chest, one that increased every time he met those gorgeous brown eyes. The ones he adored to find in the morning, watching him as he slept. It made his whole day better when that was the first thing he saw. "Why wouldn't I be?"

It was the only question he could manage to speak, despite the fact that he had so many. She was very put off by his response, even taking a step back from him. "I heard someone came to see me this morning."

He rolled his eyes. Reid needed to learn to keep his mouth shut, knowing he was the one to spill the beans. He had no intention of telling Emily about him, perhaps hoping she'd come clean about his identity on her own. He wouldn't, however, allow himself to get emotional. Burying his fear and insecurities deep down and covered by a thick layer of anger. All he revealed was an air of cool aloofness, giving a shrug. "He seemed pretty important?"

She gave a guilty smile, "Believe me, this was not the way I wanted the two of you to meet. For one thing, I expected to be there to introduce him."

"So you weren't intentionally keeping him from me?" He wondered.

Emily seemed a bit confused. "Not at all. If anything, I was keeping you from him."

He stared at her in a near shock. "What am I, just you're dirty little secret?"

Confused, she took a moment to find a response. "What are you talking about?"

"This is why you don't want to talk about having a family. Or getting married." He pointed out, descending one step to be closer to her. "You're not ready to be committed to me. You either can't let go of your past or you can't let go of your freedom.

"What do you…" She had no words, unsure what had upset him so much. This couldn't be just because he was caught off guard this morning. "What makes you think that? Because I haven't introduced the two of you yet?"

"I'm surprised you were going to introduce us at all. When were you going to break the news to me about him?" He demanded to know.

"Morgan, I've told you about him!" She cried. "Maybe I don't talk about him a lot, but… you know me, better than anyone. You know he's in a very private part of my life. A part I don't even like to know too much about."

"Emily," He shook his head. They knew they couldn't keep the others waiting, he started to climb up the steps again. "Look… I love you. And I have no doubt that you love me, but we need to stop avoiding things and face facts here. This can't go on forever. I'm ready to be completely committed to you, I've been ready for a long time… but if you're not ready by now… I don't think you'll ever be."

"Morgan," She exclaimed, stunned. "We… talked about this, barely two days ago, and I don't see what that has to do with-"

"Excuse me," Hotch called so abruptly, both of them jumped. "Is there any chance the two of you can continue this conversation later? We'd like to get underway."

Morgan swallowed hard, clutching his bag as he turned to climb on the plane. "Sorry, Hotch… Prentiss and I were just talking."

"A very heated conversation." He pointed out. "Let's go, we're already late and it's an hour drive from the airport to Pine Clove. Whatever you two are talking about, it can wait."

Hotch stepped away, allowing the two to climb on the plane. Morgan followed at once, heading inside from the freezing air. Once Emily was safely on board, the flight crew went to remove the stairs and close the door, leaving the team safely inside.

"How long was he standing there?" Emily whispered so close to Morgan, she breathed in his cologne and immediately felt dizzy with desire. How badly she wanted to feel his arms around her right now. To just be held by him, feel a kiss on the top of her hair, and hear his soothing voice that everything would be alright.

"How am I supposed to know?" He questioned, just was worried. He wasn't about to give her any kind of comfort.

The plane was starting to hum and groan, indicating the engine was coming to life. Glancing down the length of the plane, Emily spotted Hotch in galley, too far away to hear them. Everyone was.

"We've got to be more careful." Emily whispered.

With cruel eyes, he gave her a callous smile. "Or, if you like, we don't have to be careful at all anymore."

Stunned, she stared at him a moment before hissing, "What is wrong with you?"

Everything had been fine. They shared a pleasant morning together. They woke up much too early, talking in bed until the alarm went off. Morgan made delicious breakfast of eggs and bacon before they got ready for work, having a playful spat as they fought over the small bathroom mirror. They shared a loving kiss before Emily rushed off to her apartment… they were happy, they were in love. There were no impending problems they had to deal with.

It didn't make any sense Morgan would get so wounded and angry without giving her some clue as to why. What could possibly have upset him so much?

She'd have to worry about that later. Hiding her aching heart, she threw her bag onto an empty chair and went to sit with the others. Morgan was across the aisle from her… and once again, his eyes were so distant, looking at anything around him. Except her.

* * *

It wasn't a long drive from the FBI to her office, but traffic into town was horrible. Riley was nearly late when she finally pulled into the parking lot, thankful her favorite spot was empty; a short distance from the front door. Too much walking was a regular marathon these days.

As was getting out of the car. It wasn't too hard to maneuver out of the jeep, but it was still easier with some extra support. As she got to her feet and went to grab her bag from the backseat, she thought back to her deal with Spencer. It had just been a means to appease him, but now that it was on the table, she felt much better knowing she only had a few days left. Friday night couldn't come fast enough.

The lobby was quiet with no activity going on at security. It took less than a minute to get through and ride the elevators upstairs. The psychiatrists' office was just as quiet as the first floor, with the waiting room completely devoid of patients. The only people in the room at all were Dr. Redmond and the office assistant and receptionist, CJ.

Despite the lack of patients, they were speaking in quiet tones. Riley approached the counter slowly, not wanting to interrupt them.

"Speak of the devil." Redmond said with a smile as she joined them. "Good morning, Dr. Reid, how are you feeling?"

"Fine," She grumbled, keeping her answer short and vague. "Any messages?"

"A few," CJ replied, reaching over to grab a small pile Post-It notes, handing the sticky pieces over to her.

"Thanks," Riley took them, quickly reading the contents and trying to decide who to respond to first. They were mostly routine. Patient rescheduling and cancellations, requests to perform lectures or give consults. As she read, deciphering the scribbled shorthand, she questioned with interest, "Why exactly are you talking about me?"

"Oh," CJ moaned, feverishly typing onto her ancient computer. "We're still trying to work out everyone's schedules with your patients divvied up."

Redmond continued, sounding very bitter. "We had it all figured out when Dr. Bessemer said he can't take three of them because they conflict with his group therapy. Which we all know is code for going golfing! I mean, who golfs in the middle of winter?"

He had a very bitter tone as he finished his statement. Riley shifted uncomfortably with guilt as she replied. "I'm sorry… maybe I should think about interviewing a replacement while I'm out."

"No, way! We can handle it!" Redmond urged, replacing his bitterness with a confident smile. "Bessemer's just making this difficult. He doesn't work and play well with others."

"Dr. Bessemer doesn't really get along with anyone." CJ replied distractedly, continuing her adjustments. "He's never really had a friend here. Not since Dr. Andrews was killed."

To the untrained eye, it appeared no one in the room gave a response. CJ continued with her work, not even realizing what she had said. She had never been too interested on the subject, after all.

Redmond however, did notice how silent Riley got at that moment. Her eyes were frozen on a random word of the current message and her hand clutched the counter so tight, her knuckles were pure white. He didn't know too much about the subject either. He'd barely been working here a few months before Andrews was killed. He didn't know the details, but the story of the doctor kidnapping his colleague was like an urban legend around here, discussing it when gossip was scarce.

"You okay?" Redmond wondered, lowering his voice.

"I'm fine," Riley said, looking up, trying to push the twist of emotions rising in her stomach, ignoring that her face felt hot with embarrassment. "I'd better return these before my 10 o'clock gets here."

She hurried off as quickly as her body would let her, heading down to her office. Redmond watched her a moment in worry. Ever since Riley returned from Seattle, the two had worked together a lot, mostly consulting on cases and patients. But they sometimes had lunch together, and even gave her a ride home once or twice when her husband had the car. He was very fond of her, and didn't like to see her so perturbed.

"I'll be right back," he told the receptionist, hurrying after her.

He caught up t as she opened her door. "Hey," he said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Riley, what's going on? Are you feeling alright?"

"I told you I'm fine!" She insisted, turning back around. "I'm not going to go into labor any time soon, so you can stop hovering."

"I'm not talking about that." He corrected, lowering his voice and stepping closer. "It's no secret you don't like talking about Dr. Andrews. Every time someone says his name, you act like you want to roll into a ball and burrow under your couch. And that's understandable, after what you went through."

How could he possibly know what she'd gone through? All she said was "I don't want to talk about it."

He shook his head, "I just want to know if you're okay. If you change your mind and need someone to talk to, you know I'm here."

Talking about it would just upset her, but she took a moment to let herself calm down. It was a scary part of her past, but it was in the past. Just like all the other horrors. They could only affect her if she let them. Andrews and the other monsters weren't going to poison what was promising to be a very happy future. A future which seemed to finally grow tired of kicking her constantly.

Letting out a deep breath, she replied with a confident expression. "I'm okay… Andrews is just… a part of my life I wish I could forget."

He hesitated, unsure how to make this better. "I know… I can't imagine what he did to you. I deal with patients every day, victims and agents alike, and I try to get into their head to understand what they endured… you at least have an advantage. It's probably why you're so good at your job, making you the most requested psychiatrist in the Bureau."

"Jealous?" She tried to tease, but her heart wasn't in it. Her forced smile faded and she shook her head. "It's hard to be grateful for an experience like that. I would have much rather never gone through it… if it hadn't been for the BAU, I certainly wouldn't have gotten out alive."

He thought for a moment, and suddenly gave a smile. "I never knew it was the BAU that saved you. Is that how you met Spencer?"

It was much less dangerous than the truth, but Riley wasn't one for lying. "No, we uh… we had met a few months before then."

"Oh… so he knew Andrews. Well, that explains why he glares at me whenever he comes in here." He nodded with a smile.

He was pleased to see that made her laugh. It wasn't forced or heavy, either. She felt lighthearted and relaxed now. Nothing was going to hurt her, all that fear was based on memories. Nothing more.

"Thanks," She said. "I appreciate you looking out for me."

"When do you start leave?" He questioned, curious, and possibly looking for a change of subject. "Soon, I hope?"

"Trying to get rid of me?" She joked with a much more jovial tone now. "I promised Spencer Friday would be my last day."

"Friday it is," he concurred. "Don't worry, everything in the schedule will be worked out by then, whether Bessemer likes it or not. And listen, if you need anything, don't hesitate to come to me. I know Spencer's in town now, but if you start to feel pain or you think you're going into the labor, let me know. I'll get you to the hospital."

"Thanks, but I don't think that will be necessary." She shook her head. "The doctor said there's no sign of preterm labor."

He gave a scoff. "The doctor's not always right. Carol's doctor told her she was right on schedule and she delivered the twins at 30 weeks."

"Yeah, but isn't it common for twins to come sooner than single pregnancies?" She wondered.

He held up his hand, "I'm just saying, if you need anything…" and finished his sentence with a wink.

"Thanks," Riley replied and watched head back to the waiting room. She closed herself safely in her office, grateful to have a few moments alone before she had to get to work.

It wasn't until she had sat down did she stop and remember the messages on her coffee table, where she laid them while she set down her bag and removed her coat. Once she was settled in her usual armchair, she reached for them, finding there was only one left. And it was very odd.

There was no name. Just a number, and one she didn't recognize. Even the area code was foreign to her. It was from nowhere even remotely close to the DC area. She might be a popular doctor, but it was a rare occasion she got calls from agents outside of Washington.

Struggling to reach across the table, she grabbed the office phone and hit one button, waiting through the rings.

"Yes, Dr. Reid?" The receptionist asked as she picked up.

"Hey, CJ, I'm looking at this one message you left me and I think you forgot to write down a name." She stated. "It's just a number."

"Is it the 604 number?" She questioned.

"Yeah," Riley answered, becoming concerned.

"He didn't leave a name." She assured. "I asked him and he wouldn't give it to me. All he said was a friend and he'd like you to call him."

Riley didn't give an opinion. She hesitated a moment, thinking before she responded. "Thank you, CJ. Let me know when my first appointment gets here."

Without another word, she hung up, her eyes immediately falling to the number in hand. Either this man was very foolish or he had no intention of hearing back from her at all. Perhaps his main concern was just to alarm her. To put her on alert and let her know he was out there. And nearby.

The man parked at the intersection suddenly came to mind. She hadn't thought about him in a few days, but he suddenly loomed in her mind like he was staring at her right now. Was it so crazy to believe this was the same person?

She shook her head, taking the message and crumpling it up. She tossed it towards the trash can, missing it by an inch, the yellow paper bouncing onto the floor. Thinking about Andrews had unhinged her a bit. That with the raging hormones, it was no wonder she was paranoid.

Or was she? Her hand rested on her stomach again, stroking it lovingly. The baby didn't kick, but moved slightly into her touch.

"Don't worry," she hushed, "I'm not going to let anything happen to you, Sweetheart… I love you."

She wasn't at all certain how she'd feel once the baby got here, whether she'd feel some kind of connection or it take some time to form a bond. She did know right now, in this moment, that was the honest truth. She loved this baby more than anything, and wasn't going to let anyone hurt him. Or her.

* * *

Garcia's office always felt cramped to Reid. It was especially crowded today with the board set up, a detailed topographical map of the Pine Clove area was pinned to it. He struggled to open the door, trying to hang onto his stack of books along with the files of evidence. Telecommuting on a case made him feel so unprepared, so he brought everything he could he might possibly need this morning.

He tossed his supplies into one of the empty chairs and took the topmost file before turning to the board. First thing first, he wanted all the evidence arranged and organized. It was much easier to piece together details when he could see them at his leisure.

"Black, extra sugar!" Garcia announced as she bounded in, carrying two porcelain mugs, each wafting with steam.

Reid sighed with relief, gratefully taking one from her. "Thank you so much, I need this."

"I figured," She set her cup down, going to claim her chair. Her computer system was booting up, ready for its master to give it a command. Unfortunately, thanks to the victims' lack of a paper trail, there wasn't much the electronic super highway could do. "You looked like you hadn't slept all weekend."

"Probably because I haven't," Reid muttered, stabbing a pin in the corner of one of the pictures.

"Hmm," She hummed with a smile. Her fingers began playing with her pink pen. Fuzzy with a springing toy dancing on the end. "I suspect the little woman's been sending you out in the dark and stormy night?"

He chuckled lightly. "Among other things. How are the searches going?"

"Eh," She mumbled, her cheerfulness dwindling down at the thought. "Unfortunately, with a culture that lacks in electronic foot prints and paper trails, there's not much showing up on these people besides birth certificates and social security numbers. How horrible must it be for people to be forced to live like this."

"Ironically, while you feel sorry for them, Garcia, they feel sorry for us." Reid explained as he continued sorting the pictures, wanting them in sequential order by attacks. "They feel by indulging in so many pleasures and simplicities in this life, we won't be rewarded by God when we die."

Garcia was curious. "I thought you didn't believe in God, Reid."

Curious, he looked back at her and wondered, "Why do you think I don't believe in God? I never said so."

"Are you serious?" Garcia wondered, sitting up. "Reid, you've always rationalized religion, you've always said there's no definitive proof there is an almighty being of the universe."

"True," Reid agreed. "And while there's more evidence to the former, there's no definitive proof there isn't a god, either. Without such, I can't make a certain, logical choice, can I? And in which case, I can have a respect and understanding for those who can make the decision on faith alone."

Impressed, she nodded. "I never thought of it like that, kiddo. Still, you have to admit, this kind of world is a little too intense. These people avoid technology like the plague, how crazy is that?"

"I don't know," Reid said, giving her a smile. "It sounds like such a peaceful life to me."

With a laugh, Garcia mentioned, "I'm sure you'd love to ditch the smartphone, pack up your wife and precious little bundle and take refuge in rural Pennsylvania, but I'm not so sure you should cover that baby face up with a beard." She grinned at his chortle, but it faded as she noticed the all but finished board displayed top to bottom in evidence. "Uh, kiddo?"

"Yes?" He wondered, turning back to her.

The color in her face had drained a bit as she voiced, "Is it necessary to have the full display of death plastered on the board in my office?"

He looked back at the display, almost as if he couldn't see what was wrong with it. "I'm sorry, Garcia. I need to see the evidence to work."

"But this is supposed to be a sanctuary, Reid." She urged, standing up. "My sanctuary. Evil does not penetrate that door. Seeing those poor, lifeless faces every time I look to the left is going to drive me insane." She caught herself quickly. "And I mean that… figuratively of course."

"I know," Reid assured, looking back at the board. He could move it to the conference room, but that was a lot of distance to cover if the team needed him. "How about you help me turn the board around? That way they face the wall and you never have to see them."

That was good enough for her. "Let's get on it!" She exclaimed at once, going over to one side to help turn it.

Just as she had predicted, as they worked together to maneuver the object in such a cramped space, her eyes fell in the dozens of photographs of blood and bodies and horror. "How could someone do this to such innocent people?"

"It could be why the unsub chose them." Reid mentioned. His eyes were more focused on the floor, making sure the wheels wouldn't catch in his laces. "He knew, even if they were to wake up, they might try to go for help, but they wouldn't fight back. They wouldn't know how."

Reid paused a moment to assess the next move to get the board to turn. They were caught between on wall and the desk. His brain did some quick calculations of what angle to take.

For someone who didn't want to see the pictures, she couldn't seem to look away. "Hey…" she muttered. "There aren't any pictures of the victims before they were killed, were there?"

"No," Reid replied. "A lot of people assume it's because they're afraid a photograph will remove their soul, but the truth is they believe photos impose on their attempts at modesty. They are no photographic records of them. That's why the first five crime scenes are so poorly photographed. They were definitely done by an amateur. My guess would be an English neighbor or local shop owner. Here, we need to turn it to a 41 degree angle and then slide it back."

She looked at him with a partly annoyed expression, in which Reid corrected, "Move it to the left."

"That's going to make finding that little girl harder, isn't it?" She mentioned.

Reid paused, just inches from sliding the board into place. "What do you mean?"

"The missing girl, Anna… something." She pointed out, indicating the empty bed with the blood and missing sheets. "If there are no pictures of her, how are they supposed to know who they're looking for? The kidnapper could be keeping her in plain sight and the police and team would never even know."

"To be safe, they're probably keeping her hidden." Reid mentioned. "If she's even still alive."

"She might be." Garcia said hopefully. "There's not much blood on the bed, and maybe they didn't take her at all. Maybe they only wounded her and she got away, hiding in the woods somewhere."

Reid was rationalist. He knew the odds of finding that little girl alive. If they found her, after all. With no idea what she looked like, the unsub could easily take her away. Still, Penelope Garcia faced evil every single day, just like they did. Yet she managed to hang onto hope, despite statistics and circumstances. If she wanted to believe that victim had survive the last few days, he wouldn't ruin that for her.

He agreed, "I hope you're right, Garcia. We've saved victims before, despite the circumstances. Maybe she did get away."

"It's not so crazy to believe." She insisted. "We don't know much about the unsub, maybe he started feel remorse for her."

He did not want to talk about this anymore. The team should be calling soon for any ready results. Not soon enough in his mind.

With him hidden from sight, she couldn't see the discomfort he was feeling, trying frantically to block out her voice. "She could have woken up before he hurt her. She starts calling out for her parents who, heartbreakingly, were already demised. The unsub might have been a father, and suddenly he's thinking about his own little girl and couldn't imagine someone hurting him, making him go easy on her-"

"Enough!" Reid snapped, so loud his voice echoed off the walls. His hands were shaking slightly, just thinking about someone hurting that little girl… who had been someone's daughter…

Suddenly, she realized she had just crossed a line. One that had not been there before. "Oh, Sweet Boy," She exclaimed. "I didn't mean to… to say that…"

"I know," He said urgently. "It's a good assumption, we should pass that on to the team. I just… I don't want to think about it."

Feeling guilty, she quickly thought of a way to make him feel better. "At least you know you're little girl is safe, and she always will be. How could she not be with a big strong FBI agent as her daddy?"

"Little girl," Reid repeated slowly. He stepped out from behind the board to grab a few more of the files, wanting to overlook a bit more information about the area. "So I guess that explains the three shopping bags of yarn you're trying to hide under your desk there, I'm assuming all in varying shades of pink?"

Garcia froze instantly, glancing at her packages hidden behind her legs. "Morgan told you?" he added with a glance.

"This morning," She explained a bit meekly. "He knew how desperate I was to know, probably almost as much as you… so I can make her a blanket."

"Garcia!" He cried. "You bought us so much already, you don't need to spoil us like this."

"I know," She muttered. "It's just that I made blankets for both the boys, and I wanted to do the same for Baby Reid, and I really want it to be ready when she gets here. With three weeks left, I don't have much time."

Reid gave her a smile, showing her he wasn't mad. He was truly touched by how much these people already loved his child. It was so comforting to know that, while he lacked in even one solid parent his entire life, his daughter was going to be surrounded by a full, loving family.

"I can't tell you what that means to me," Reid said kindly. "Just, please, don't tell Riley anything."

"My lips couldn't be more sealed if you replaced my lip gloss with Krazy Glue!" She said with a grin. "And with the lack of help I can be on this case, I'll have plenty of time to work on this. I wouldn't be surprised if it's stitched and ready by the end of the week."

She gave him a prideful smirk, but Reid had disappeared. He had dashed behind the board in such an instant, she hadn't even noticed he was gone from sight. Perhaps he wasn't in the mood to talk, or he just had too much on his mind to think about the baby. No matter, he needed his space. She knew. In fact, she was about to turn back to her computer to check the progress when he called.

"Was Anna the only girl in the Lambright family?" He cried.

"Uh…" Garcia thought a moment, but didn't have the information on hand to see. "Let me check the family records. Why, do you think that has something to do with why she was taken?"

"No." At last, he emerged, carrying a picture in his hand. He stared at it with such ferocity, there was a fear it would burst into flame. "I'm just noticing something. There's no evidence, at all, that there was another girl close to Anna's age in that family. It's possible there was a sister who died or was already married off, we need to be sure."

"What makes you think there is another daughter, anyway?" He wondered.

"It's this photo, of Anna's bed with blood smeared on it. Off to the side, there's another one."

Her jaw dropped as she saw the picture of another bed. Perfectly made, with no disturbance by body or blood.

Reid continued. "It's uncommon in our culture for boys and girls to share a room, even if they are brother and sister. Amish certainly wouldn't permit that. So what's that bed doing in there?"

"I'm on it!" Garcia exclaimed, setting to work.

Several minutes past, but Reid could do nothing but wait. He was too focused on what he had found. Garcia worked as feverishly as possible, trying to get the answer in record time it seemed.

"Ah ha!" She exclaimed when she discovered outcome. "It seemed Adam and Naomi Lambright had five children. Three boys and two girls, oh…"

"What?" Reid wondered.

"Anna wasn't the eldest daughter; JJ was wrong." She explained. "They had another daughter, her name's Sarah… but… am I missing something? This doesn't make any sense!"

"What is it?" Reid wondered.

"Other than her birth certificate, there are no records on her." She explained, looking over to her friend.

"That's not unusual. The Amish don't keep regular accounts of their lives like we do. They don't go to public schools or English doctors. It's not uncommon there's little to find." He explained.

"But there should be something!" She pointed out. "If she wasn't in the house and she wasn't attacked, than that means she wasn't living there anymore."

Reid considered that a moment, seeing what she was getting at. "The only two reasons an Amish girl wouldn't be living at home is either she's married or she died."

"And I can't find a death certificate or a marriage license." She exclaimed. "These people might live outside the technological box, Papa Bear, but they're still American citizens. They have to follow the law."

"So then where is she?" Reid muttered, getting nothing in response but silence.


	7. Eventually

"There are no records of her since the day she was born?" Hotch questioned, wanting to be sure.

The team had called not two minutes later, wanting to weigh in the others' opinions. Reid immediately revealed his discovery of the Lambrights missing daughter.

"There's nothing, sir." Garcia revealed. "Sarah Lambright was born June 27th, 1989. That is where her trail begins and ends. There are no school records, medical files, work employment. It's like she completely vanished."

"Are we certain she wasn't taken by the kidnapper with her sister?" Morgan suggested. "It could be possible he has both of them."

"Two young women, one of which is injured? I don't know, that seems like too much for one unsub to handle." Emily suggested.

"It's a hell of a lot more plausible than her vanishing into thin air!" Morgan snapped, glaring at her.

She opened her mouth to retaliate, but Reid interjected. "I think Emily's right. I've been looking into a theory as to why the unsub took his last victim, and the most obvious reason is he needs a hostage. A wounded one isn't going to be much of an asset, and certainly wouldn't be his first choice. If he intended to take one of the girls, he would have killed Anna and taken a healthy one. Besides, from the evidence, there's no appearance anyone has slept in that bed in a while… although I won't be sure until I examine the crime scene."

"We'll get the pictures to you as soon as possible, Reid." Rossi assured.

Reid stopped abruptly, suddenly remembering he was still in Quantico. He wouldn't be seeing the crime scene first hand. "Right," Reid nodded, "I guess it's on you guys, huh?"

He adverted his eyes, pretending to be incredibly interested in the file on the Bauchmans, which no surprise was lacking in detail. It would be hard to form a profile when most of the previous murders were bare in evidence.

"Do you think it's possible she could have run away?" Hotch suggested, to no one in particular.

"It's a possibility, but unlikely," Reid answered, leaning down to see the screen better, wanting to feel more a part of the group. How did Garcia do this from week to week; he felt so detached and excluded.

"Why do you say that?" Rossi wondered.

"The Amish are such a close knit community, their whole lives are relying on their family. A young girl wouldn't venture off into the English world, even if she was unhappy. Besides, statistically, running away in girls is more common between the ages of 11 and 19. It would be less likely a mature woman in our community would feel pressured enough to take such extreme, impulsive measures. The odds are even less with her."

"Oh my God!" JJ exclaimed, sitting up straight. The light bulb was blazing over her head. "I can't believe I didn't think of it before. She was shunned."

"Come again?" Garcia wondered.

JJ explained without missing a beat, "Sarah's old enough to be baptized. If she's already joined the church and then started to rebel against the Amish practices… they would have excommunicated her. It could have been something so simple like drinking alcohol or owning a cell phone."

Everyone looked at her, stunned at her sudden spout of knowledge. JJ at once felt self-conscious.

"Thank you, Dr. Reid," Morgan remarked.

She explained with a glower. "I'm from rural Pennsylvania, remember? I grew up around the Amish. A lot of the New Order churches don't do that anymore, but if these people value the ways of the Old Order, it's very likely Sarah was shunned."

"Okay, so if she's off hobnobbing with the convenient and modern, how come I still can't find her on the map?" Garcia was very determined to know.

"Try changing your search criteria." Hotch suggested. "She might have applied for some kind of aid that's still pending, or signed up for a GED class."

"It wouldn't hurt to see if there were any English people close to the Lambrights." Emily said. "Maybe they've given her a place to stay until she gets on her feet."

"Brilliant, I can't believe I didn't think of that." She mumbled. "I think Big Daddy over here's stemming my creative flow."

"Big Daddy? What, he's alone with you for a half hour and he's taking my place?" Morgan teased with a wink.

She giggled secretively and replied, "Don't fight over me, boys, there's plenty to go around. Garcia out!"

With that, she clicked off. The video feed closed, leaving nothing but a grayish blue desktop on the screen. JJ closed the lid with a soft click.

"It'll take approximately an hour to drive to Pine Clove." Hotch explained. "It's best we split up now. JJ, I'd like you to speak to the Adlers, get their statement on what happened."

"Who are the Adlers?" Emily wondered.

"The family who owned the farm three miles away from the Springers." He answered. "They're the ones who found the bodies the morning after. If you sense any kind of hesitation or insincerity, JJ, let us know. We can't rule them out as suspects yet. Rossi and I are going to speak to the bishops of the three districts that lost families, make sure we're on good terms with them before we go too far. There might be some information they can give us as well."

"You guys got to know, we have to tread lightly," Rossi explained, "but Amish or not, no one is ruled out as a suspect until we form a profile. Just because they live the Plain way of life doesn't mean a serial killer can't be among them."

He was absolutely right. Until they knew otherwise, they couldn't exclude anyone.

"In the meantime, Morgan and Emily are going to speak to a few friends of the Lambrights-" Hotch added.

"Whoa," Morgan exclaimed, cutting him off. "Hotch, these people just died. We need to profile the crime scene, it's the best evidence we've got. We're missing a lot of clues in this case, we can't afford to lose anymore."

Hotch shook his head and answered sternly. "In normal circumstances, you would be right, but we need to earn these people's trust. They need to know, if they want these murders to stop, we need their full cooperation. There is no other way."

Morgan wanted to argue, but knew he had no other choice. He took an another angry glance at Emily as he sunk back in his seat. He wasn't sure what he hated more, having to gain the trust of people he had no idea how to act around or do it with her when he'd rather be alone.

"If all goes well, we'll be able to see the Lambright house this afternoon." Rossi confidently stated. "I know this is weird, guys. It's a first for me, too, but if we stick together and keep ourselves in line around these people, we'll catch this guy. We can do it."

"I hope you're right, Dave." Emily said miserably. "Not to sound offensive, but… these people are going to be so alien to us. It's not like getting kids to trust us or manipulating cult members… how can any of us relate to this culture enough to get them to not only trust us, but help us?"

They all looked at each other, knowing exactly what all of them were sadly thinking.

Hotch cleared his throat and announced, "Guys, we can't do this. It's going to be a long time before Reid is on the road with us again, so we have to get used to doing things without him."

"It's not that we can't do it." JJ corrected. "It's just… if anyone could get these people to trust us… it's him."

Morgan added, "He wouldn't even try to get them to like him, he'd just… I don't know how he'd do it, but they wouldn't think twice about helping him. He'd never believe he could do it, either, he'd just go in there and make it happen. He's always been like that, it almost sickens me."

"I agree, he's got great people skills." Hotch proclaimed. "Reid would have no trouble getting these people to open up to him. He's modest and caring and sincere, qualities the Amish greatly treasure… but the fact is he's not here and wishing he was isn't the least bit productive. It's up to us this time."

He was right, and they had no other choice but to agree.

* * *

In their years of travel, it appeared that, while the work changed from case to case, the police stations were always the same. Especially in small towns. Pine Clove was no different. Mostly a farming town, the people flocking to the ten streets that made up downtown for all of their day to day business. They were hit even worse by the winter weather. Many of the shopkeepers struggling and stumbling to shovel their walks so as not to lose business.

Even a place as desolate as this was a welcome sight to the team after an hour long car ride. Climbing out, they took a 30 second survey of the street while they stretched their cramped muscles before heading into the station, where the police were waiting for them. The team wasn't used to helping locals so welcoming and eager.

"Captain Lemont?" JJ asked as she stepped in, always the bridge between the BAU and the rest of the world. A woman who couldn't have been any younger than Hotch stood up at the call of her name. She, with a few other officers, were in the middle of a discussion at a small table in the middle of the station. By the looks on their faces, it wasn't a pleasant one.

"Yes," She cried, nearly exasperated. She accepted the blonde's hand gratefully, as if just the sight of these experts had brought extensive results. "You must be Agent Jareau."

"I am," JJ answered before indicating her unit chief. "This is SSA Aaron Hotchner, and the rest of our team: SSAs David Rossi, Derek Morgan, and Emily Prentiss."

The captain shook hands with each of them in turn. The two officers behind her neither stepped forward nor introduced themselves. That was usually a sign the team wasn't welcome in their eyes, but by their uncertain gazes, they knew that wasn't the case.

"I can't express how grateful I am you could all come on such short notice." Lemont exclaimed. "I was sure we'd have to wait some time before you responded to our request. A town not too far from here sent one in a year ago to help. They still haven't heard back from you."

Always defending the honor of his unit, Hotch spoke up. "I'm sorry for that. Unfortunately, we can only choose cases with the top most priority."

"I'd say this qualifies, then." One of the cops said.

Lemont turned, just remembering her subordinates were there. "Yes. Agents, this is Detective Simpson and his partner, Detective Peele."

"You're the detectives in charge of the case?" Rossi wondered as he greeted Detective Simpson.

Detective Peele corrected him. "We're in charge of every investigation. We're the only detectives in the Pine Clove Police Department."

"I see," Hotch replied. "Well, we're happy to help in any way we can."

"In your career, I'm sure you don't see much crime at all, let alone something so severe." Morgan mentioned, trying to sound polite.

"No," Detective Simpson answered shortly. "Not in this town."

"Have you gathered any new evidence on the Lambrights?" Emily questioned, getting right to business. "The smallest detail could give us a lead."

"All the evidence we have, we sent to you this morning." Peele informed, despondent. "Really, what more is there?"

Morgan was about to reply when Agent Simpson spoke up. "There's tons we can learn, from every aspect of those kills. Unfortunately, we can't get in there."

"Come again?" Rossi wondered.

Lemont explained. "The community the Lambrights lived have asked us to leave. We can't get in there to do any more investigating."

"I thought these were people who didn't believe in violence." Mentioned Emily. "How could they possibly be keeping you out?"

"We could force our way in if we wanted to." The captain clarified. "But that could lead to a serious public incident, one that forces the Amish to leave the area and close down their shops. The majority of our town's economy is funded by tourism. If the Amish leave, so does all our business. We have to work with them."

"That's what two of our agents will be focusing on this morning." Hotch clarified. "They'll be speaking with the community and trying to gain their trust. Hopefully, we'll get into the house by this afternoon."

"Good luck," Simpson declared. "We tried talking to the bishops a few minutes ago. I think they feel getting our involvement was a mistake."

"It's true," Lemont agreed. "Murder is a still a crime, no matter where it occurs in America, or to whom, but if we don't have their cooperation, solving this case will be nearly impossible, let alone stopping this guy."

"Agent Rossi and I would like to speak with them, if they're ready." Hotch said. "And Agent Jareau here will be speaking to the Adlers."

At least they all knew they would work with the team and the detectives. Agent Peele nodded, indicating JJ to follow him. "They're waiting in the captain's office. I'll show you the way."

"Thank you," JJ said, and with that followed him.

"I've already asked for the ministers of the districts to have the people assemble so we can speak to them." Simpson said to Morgan and Emily. At least, with his lack of knowledge of the team, he didn't sense the heated tension between them. "I'll escort you both there."

"Thank you," Emily said kindly. She turned to ask Morgan if he was ready to go, but he had already turned away, practically stepping outside. She tried to hide her hurt expression as she nodded at the detective to come with her and headed towards the door.

"I'll let the bishops know you're here." The captain announced. They had never seen an officer so nervous in front of the FBI. She looked to be holding something back, as if she had more to say.

"What is it, Captain?" Rossi urged. If she couldn't be honest with them, they weren't going to get very far working together.

She cleared her throat. "I just don't know if this is going to do any good. I've known these men a very long time, Bishop Yoder I've known since I was a teenager… and I can't convince them to let us do more than we're doing. I don't know how much good this will do, letting you speak with them."

"We have to try." Hotch assured, though he, too, wasn't feeling too confident. "We'll do everything we can think of to get them to agree. The last thing we and the FBI want to do is offend anyone."

Captain Lemont was assured by that, but it didn't ease her anxiety much. "Wait here," she requested, and stepped away. Rossi and Hotch stayed in the middle of the bull pen. A smaller, quieter replica of the one they shared at home.

"It's so unusual," Rossi mentioned, taking in the scene. There was a total of ten cops in the area. Mostly drinking coffee and writing up reports. A phone rang quietly, answered after two chimes.

"What is?" Hotch wondered.

"A squad room so quiet. It's so obvious they're unprepared for something like this." He explained.

Hotch reluctantly replied, "We're not exactly prepared for something like this either. I don't know about you, but I've never dealt with a place that had so many rules and road blocks that kept us from doing are job, have you?"

"Not unless the group of people were doing something illegal." He answered, having dealt with his share of cults over the years. "I guarantee, Aaron, the Amish will have to let us do what we need to in order to solve this case. Eventually."

"Eventually," Hotch repeated, despondent and a little angry. "But how many more lives have to be taken before eventually turns into now?"

Rossi didn't have an answer for that.


	8. The Man in the Van

"I know this must difficult for you." JJ said kindly as she sat across from the couple, setting a cup of steaming tea for Mrs. Adler. She and her husband were two middle-aged people with sunken, shaken expressions. Two people who had seen more horror and death in a month than anyone should in a lifetime. "You were neighbors to the Springers, correct?"

Darren Adler took a moment to answer. "The closest farm to them, anyway. Not sure if you can consider us neighbors, since we live almost three miles apart… they've lived there ever since we bought the place about ten years ago. I help him out a few days a week and in return, we get milk and eggs from their farm. Abigail also spins us some wool from their sheep in the summer."

"And you were supposed to meet him that morning?" JJ questioned, keeping her gentle tone.

"Just like all the mornings before." He explained. "I get up at four, take care of my animals, then I usually head to the Springers by six. This time of year, Linus and his boys are working in the barn, taking care of the horses or patching weak spots in the walls and roof. When I didn't find him there… I thought Abigail might be sick, so I headed up to the house."

"Linus's wife." JJ clarified. "Was she sick a lot?"

"Often," Lucinda Adler replied. "She was always suffering from some ache or ailment. I personally thought she needed to see a doctor… but the Amish won't go unless it's life or death." She gave a scoff. "I guess it doesn't matter now."

"I knocked for nearly fifteen minutes, but no one came to the door. It was just too odd that a house with seven people wouldn't hear me, so I broke inside… and that's when I found them."

Mr. Adler lowered his head, almost in shame. As if there had been a way he could have prevented this. His wife lovingly stroked his arm. Treading lightly, JJ cleared her throat and pushed them forward.

"Why didn't either of you call the police after the family was discovered?" She voiced.

Both of them found her eyes, looking to her in surprise. "Excuse me?" Mrs. Adler asked. "Are you accusing us of something, Agent?"

"No," Her tone instantly stern, "but it is an unusual circumstance. Finding one person dead in his home would be enough to prompt anyone to call 911, but a whole family? Did you check if anyone was still alive."

"No, I was horrified! I don't know what I did next!" Mr. Adler exclaimed, rubbing his eyes furiously for a moment. "I didn't think! I kind of… blacked out after I found them. I remember running out of the house and… throwing up over the porch… but other than that-"

"He called me from his cell phone." Lucy interrupted. She reached over and took her husband's hand. An obvious tell that they were sticking together. Either for support or to coincide their stories. "I didn't know what to do either. I was about to call the police, but… I wasn't sure if that was the way to go about this so I went into town and found Bishop Berkley."

"He advised you not to contact the police." She stated, getting a nod in response. "Did he give you any reason as to why?"

"All he did was thank me for informing him, but the church would handle it from then on." She assured. "I couldn't just let it go, though… who would do such a terrible thing? And they were just going to let him get away with it."

"That's why you took the pictures of the crime scenes." JJ stated with an understanding nod.

"Well," She gave a bit of a smirk. "I do love those crime shows and I knew letting the Amish handle this wasn't right. I know they're all about forgiveness but, just moving on and burying the dead after being slaughtered is just wrong… so I called Darren to grab my digital camera and meet me at the Springers. I took pictures and wrote everything suspicious down. It was hard, but… I knew it would be a mistake to let this go."

"Are we in trouble because we didn't call the police?" Asked Mr. Adler. "Hindering justice or… whatever you call it."

"That's for the DA to decide." She declared. "I'm also curious how you got involved in the other deaths? You the one who took pictures of the other crime scenes, correct?"

Mrs. Adler cried at once as her eyes darted rapidly a moment. "No. We didn't even hear about them until today."

JJ hesitated, fixing her with a pointed stared. "You are aware that our technical analyst has already matched the pixels in the crime scene photos? Lying is not going to help either of you."

The color in her face sunk slightly and Mr. Adler exclaimed, "We didn't do this. Why are you treating us like criminals when you should be out there hunting this guy down?"

"I am trying to find him. I'm collecting evidence by learning everything that you know." JJ said, much more fiercely than the sensitive person she appeared earlier. Deflecting was a common tactic of guilty people, although she was all but certain this couple had nothing to do with the actual deaths. But they were definitely hiding something.

"Yes, I took the photos." Mrs. Adler said. It was her turn to hang her head this time. "I pressed Bishop Berkley about the deaths from the day they were found. He urged me to leave it alone, but even I could see he was bothered by this. When the second family died, he came to our home to tell us."

"We tried to get him to call the police, but he and Bishop Yoder wouldn't listen." Mr. Adler added. "We did convince him to let Lucy collect the evidence. It became a regular thing after that."

"We were just trying to follow their wishes." His wife urged. "We weren't trying to hide anything."

JJ nodded again. "I know you weren't, and we're not making accusations. It's just… very curious."

"What do you mean?" Mr. Adler asked.

She took a deep breath, folding her hands over the table. JJ wanted to get a good look at them, see if there was something hidden beneath the surface. There was nothing obviously violent about them, nothing to suggest they would find any thrill in this. Yet here they were, as a part of this as the community itself.

"What made you do it?" JJ wondered. "I see horrific stuff like this every day, but I do it because it's my job. What made you get involved, to invest your time in collecting evidence and recording the crime scenes? You must have them saved on your computer, what makes you put yourself through this?"

Mrs. Adler shook her head, "These people are different. They live differently, they think differently… but the Springers, regardless how they chose to live, they were our friends. Darren worked with Linus, I sat and talked with Abigail in her kitchen on so many afternoons, our boys played together. We were practically family… and some monster took them from us. If someone hurt your family, would you just sit back and try to forget… or would you do what you could to find him? They didn't deserve to die like this… and even less to just have it ignored… We couldn't just forget them."

That was exactly what the DA needed to hear. JJ couldn't help but give them a sympathetic smile. "Believe me… I understand."

* * *

"_Careful, Mama," Desiree teased as she pulled a drink out of the fridge. "Letting Derek cook, I'm not sure that's the smart choice."_

"_Yeah, when was the last time we tested the fire extinguishers?" Sarah laughed from the kitchen table._

_Morgan shot a deadly glare at both his sisters. The stifled giggles from his mother did not go unnoticed. He paused from the garlic cloves he was chopping and brandished the knife threateningly at his sisters. "You girls are pretty brave, testing the man who's handling your food! For your information, I cook for my girl all the time."_

"_And you haven't set flame to her apartment yet?" Desiree laughed as she glanced at Sarah. "I don't buy it."_

_Shaking his head, Morgan glanced at his mother, "Mama, are you going to let them treat your baby boy this way?"_

"_Alright, girls, that's enough," She said somewhat sternly, always standing up for her little boy. "Why don't you untangle the lights so we'll be ready to decorate the tree after dinner?"_

"_I thought that was supposed to be a man's job." Sarah sneered as she stood up. Desiree snorted, following her sister to the door._

"_Alright!" Morgan retorted, chucking a few larger pieces of garlic at the back of their heads. "And keep your giggles down, Emily's still sleeping upstairs."_

_He turned back to his preparation, still hearing his mother's chuckles in behind him, pouring more tomato paste into the pot on the stove. They couldn't be stopped._

"_I'm glad you're having a laugh." He said with a smile._

"_I don't mean to," She said sweetly, "They might tease you, but they do love their brother. We all miss you around here."_

"_I know, Mama," He replied with sympathy. "Believe me, I wish I could get away more."_

"_That's another reason why I love the holidays." Morgan brought the cutting board of minced garlic into brewing sauce. "Even if there is the threat of you burning down the house."_

"_That was fifteen years ago, Mom. Do you really think I'm going to make the same mistake?" He demanded to know._

"_Why do you think I'm staying in here with you? I'm watching you like a hawk." She laughed, giving him a loving pat on the shoulder. He shook his head, but smiled just the same._

_He went back to the other side of the counter, now going to work on some fresh parsley. His mother went to the fridge to pull out the pound of ground beef, ready to start mixing the meatballs._

"_It is a nice change, though." She noted as she grabbed her silver mixing bowl._

_Curious, he questioned, "What is?"_

"_You bringing Emily home for Christmas." His mother clarified. "You've never brought a girlfriend home before."_

"_Emily was more than willing to skip holiday obligations with her mother." He assured and gave her a smile. "She's never had that family togetherness we so happily share. Besides, it'll be nice to have someone on my side when the girls ride my case."_

"_Hmm," She mentioned. "It's still a big step, bringing her home to your family. Is it safe to assume things are… sort of serious with you two?"_

_Morgan paused a moment, choosing his words carefully. "Mama, I love her. And she loves me… but I told you. The FBI has rules about fraternization, and we're breaking every one of them. For things to get serious, we need to make some choices about our careers and… neither of us is ready for that."_

_At first, he thought Fran Morgan would argue. To push or suggest they take steps forward, but he should have known her better. As she walked past him to get a mixing spoon from the counter, she gave him a pat on the back. "It must be hard to work together, always worrying about each other. I saw the way she looks at you… she's probably almost as worried as I am."_

"_I told you, Mom, I'm careful," He promised her. "We both are."_

"_You better," She ordered. "Don't dangle the dream of grandbabies in my face and then yank it away."_

"_You never stop, do you?" He exclaimed._

"_Don't think you're going to get out of this young man. You owe me grandchildren, and lots of them!"_

_Without thinking, he turned back to his handy knife work. "Be careful what you wish for. You're going to end up with ten grandbabies with my smart mouth and Emily's rebellious attitude." He chuckled at the thought. "And if they have her hypnotizing smile, they'll be able to get anything out of their grandma, no question about it."_

_He waited for her response. Some victorious remark to inform that she would always be head of family, and no little kid could pull a fast one on her, no matter how adorable he or she may be. A minute passed and the room was silent, with the exception of the chop of his knife._

_Looking up, Morgan spotted his mother standing at the counter, staring down into the meat in the silver bowl, as if she'd seen something so shockingly unexpected. The expression was almost terrifying, and Morgan began to worry._

"_Mama," Morgan called, getting her attention. "Mama, what's wrong?"_

_Looking up, Fran Morgan met her son's gaze, seeming to force a smile. Her eyes were glistening rapidly. "Nothing… uh… would you mind making the meatballs. I have something I need to take care of."_

"_Are you alright?" He asked, stepping closer to her. He'd never felt like this before, his mother was always the one looking out for him, not the other way around._

_Her lip trembled slightly as she nodded. "I'm perfectly fine, I'll be down in a bit… and don't worry, I won't wake Emily; I know she's still jetlagged."_

_With that, his mother hurried from the room, dashing out of the swinging door. For an instant, Morgan thought to run after her. What had he said that was so wrong? One moment she was teasing him about he and Emily having children and then… suddenly, she despised the idea? That didn't make any sense. Sure, she and his mother didn't know each other well. They'd only spoken on the phone a few times, and they'd barely spent ten minutes in the same room, but they seemed to get along well._

_He loved Emily more than anything. Nothing would keep him from being with her, and no one would influence him otherwise. But still, if his mother didn't like her… that would nearly break his heart. He wanted to give Emily the family she never had… the family loved him so much. He just hoped they would love her in return._

Morgan was leaning on the car, watching as the cluster of people herd into the church. He'd never seen so many different people in one place before, not without anything illegal going on. They were the strangest group he'd ever seen. Dressed head to toe in wool, their heads covered in hats and bonnets, buttoned with black cloaks instead of warm, zipped jackets. They were quiet as they went inside, and even Morgan could tell that was unnatural for them. Not one of them appeared happy to be there. In fact, they all looked saddened and terrified.

In a few minutes, he and Emily would introduce themselves to the people of the three districts. Gaining the trust of the community was important, especially if they were going to learn if anyone had any information they could use.

Right now, it didn't feel the least bit important to him. It was low on his list of priorities, unable to shut his brain off to his personal problems. Maybe it would be easier if she wasn't here with him. How could he put his worries out of his mind and focus on the case if his personal problems kept staring him in the face?

Once the crowd had thinned out and most of the people were inside, Emily made her way over to his side. "The ministers said they're ready when we are, and they weren't too shy in letting me know they don't agree with having this meeting. Obviously, they want to handle this themselves, like they've already made a decision about what they should do."

She was trying to keep the professional level between them. They were pretty good at keeping civil and neutral on the job. A fight between them had never jeopardized that before, it shouldn't now.

"Mm hmm," was his only answer.

She couldn't even get his full attention. Where was that mind of his today, she would like to know. "At least we know they can't be influenced by the outside world. They're not interested in getting media attention, anything they have to tell us will no doubt be legitimate."

"If they talk to us at all." He mumbled, standing up. It was cold out here with the wind blowing, and there was a threat of snow in the air as the sky got steadily darker. Inside the barn would at least be a bit warmer. "Come on, let's get this over with."

"Wait!" Emily exclaimed, grabbing his arm. He wouldn't even look at her; his attitude was chillier than the February air.

"What?" He asked, finally looking to her.

"Derek… what is going on? Why are you so mad at me?" She pleaded. She never felt so desperate in her life. Several times, she feared Morgan was slipping away from her, that she was about to lose him forever, but it was the first time she sensed there was nothing she could do to stop it. That she wasn't being stubborn and just running from her feelings. It truly felt like things were out of her control.

"Do we have to talk about this now?" He wanted to know.

"Yes!" She answered. "Derek, we swore to each other, we would do anything to stay together. We're in a rough spot right now and I don't know why. The least you can do is tell me the truth. What did I do?"

He didn't want to deal with this now, but if she wanted to open Pandora 's Box, he couldn't stop her. "Do you still have feelings for him? It's one thing to still be friends with an ex, even if you don't see him that often, but when you don't tell the man you love about him it says a lot more. And don't pretend like you did."

She was so confused and it made her brain hurt so bad, she thought blood was about to pour out of her ear. Was she missing something? Maybe this wasn't about this morning at all, and maybe she had more problems than her mother meddling in her life, in every way possible.

But who could have known, besides Rossi… and Rossi didn't know about them. If he let it slip, it would have been an accident, but he wouldn't have known the grave consequences that would have brought.

"You found out about John Cooley, didn't you?" She stated.

So that was his name. Derek felt a sneer forming on his face, hating everything about this man. Right down to his name. It made him sound like some spoiled rich kid… he probably was, knowing the world Emily had been born into.

"I don't know much about him, but yeah." He answered. "He seems to know a lot about you."

"Not anymore!" She urged. How could she think that, she hadn't seen John in nearly six years, it should not be an issue. "And you have to understand, that is not the reason why I'm scared about having a family. Not at all. It was a long time ago, and I never cared for him the way I do for you."

Now Morgan was the puzzled one. "What would that have to with us having kids?"

Emily's jaw dropped a bit. He didn't know the whole story. She knew one day she might have to tell him about it, especially if the hypothetical happened and they did have a baby. But here, out in the cold, in the middle of such a traumatic case was not the best time.

"Never mind," she shook her head. "We need to get started."

She tried to hurry past him, but Morgan quickly intercepted. "No, you have to tell me. What is this about? What did you and this guy go through?"

"I don't want to talk about this now!" She hissed. "Let's just… get this over with so we can go back to the station and get away from each other. Is that alright with you?"

With a cold glare, he stepped aside. "With pleasure."

Side by side, the dysfunctional couple walked to the entrance of the barn, all the warmly clad people waiting on benches inside. Still, even in there, even starting their flawless presentation, working together as immaculately as always, they could never escape the bone chilling cold.

…

Captain Lemont opened the door to the conference room, slowly holding it open for her guests. Hotch and Rossi walked in slowly, immediately taking in the sight of the three older men. All three were a similar image of each other. Plain wool pants and button down shirts, flat hats on top and full, grown-in beards. They stared rather disdainfully at all three of the law officials without saying a word. None of them got up to greet them.

"Gentlemen," the captain said as she closed the door. "Allow me to introduce Agents Hotchner and Rossi of the Behavioral Analysis Unit of the FBI. They've come to assist my detectives in this case.

Hotch step forward and offered his hand to the closest of the men, "I'm sorry to meet under these circumstances, sirs."

The first bishop eyed his hand for a long moment but never accepted it. Eventually, Hotch got the point and lowered it, taking a precautionary step back.

Lemont cleared her throat, desperate to move this along. "Agents, this is Bishop Berkley, Bishop Hooley, and Bishop Yoder. They're in charge of the three districts involved in the case."

"I can't tell you how sorry we are this has happened to your people." Rossi said as he went to take a seat. Sitting with them at the table would make them all feel like equals, increasing the chances the bishops would trust them. "We're here to do everything we can to bring justice to you."

The man sitting farthest away glanced at the one who refused to shake Hotch's hand. "Justice is not an interest of ours. We want these killings to stop, that was our hope when getting involved with your law enforcement."

Captain Lemont took the initiative to reply. "I understand your inhibitions, Bishop Hooley, but something like this is beyond the area of my officers' expertise. I needed to call in experts, that's why Agent Hotchner and his team are here. Without them, we can't make these deaths stop."

"But you're turning us into a spectacle, Captain." The first bishop stated bitterly. "The news of this has spread around both our communities like a wildfire. Not only do we have to endure the pain of losing our people, but we've become a disgraced spectacle. We don't enjoy being humiliated."

"I know, sir, this was never our intention," she urged, desperate for them to listen, "but now, with the BAU's help, we are much better equip to bring an end to these deaths."

Hotch added, "My team is well trained to handle something like this. I know it's hard to believe, gentleman, but we will catch this killer. Soon things will be back to normal, but we need your help. Without your assistance of you and your community, we can't hope to find who's doing this."

Normal was easier said than done. The third bishop, who all this time had remained distant and silent, looked up, meeting Hotch's eyes with cold anger. He'd seen that iciness in many men's eyes before… it was more than a man protecting his community, as if he was more involved with this case than the others.

"Normal is something we will never have again." He said in such a quiet monotone. "You can't bring back what's been taken from us, the lives of those innocent people-"

"David," the first bishop cried, looking to him with worry. "It's alright… it's very sad, but they're with Jesus now, you know that."

The thought that the spirits of the victims were in Heaven was no comfort to the older man. "No," He stood up, shaking his head. "No one can bring back the lives of these people, but that doesn't mean we need outsiders to make matters worse. We may have no power to make you leave… but we don't condone your help here. If you decide to investigate this case, that's your choice, but you do not have our permission. Nor our help."

With that, the bishop stood and stepped from the room. The other two watched, almost seeming to head out with him.

Considering this a moment, Rossi folded his hands on the table. "I believe we've gotten off on the wrong foot. What can we do, gentlemen, to earn your trust? There must be something we can do to prove we're sincere."

The two glanced at each other, as if confirming their predictions were correct. "Interesting how you believe our trust can be bought. Perhaps Bishop Yoder is right." Bishop Hooley said. "We'd like you to leave."

"We cannot ignore the crimes that have taken place, Bishop Berkley," Lemont exclaimed, standing up. "The FBI are here by my request and we will continue investigating."

"With all due respect, we don't need your permission to take charge of this investigation." Ross informed. "We need to get into the Lambright house and we'll do it against your wishes if we have to."

"We're not stupid, Agent." Bishop Berkley insisted. "Our culture is protected by US law. We're not doing anything illegal and if you step forward against our wishes, our districts and the rest in the neighboring counties will report you that your institution is infringing on our religious rights."

That did it. A report like that could be severe enough to have the entire team transferred to different departments. Perhaps even disband the BAU. Lemont may want to protect her town, but both Rossi and Hotch knew their loyalty was to their team and the Bureau. There was nothing they could do.

Reluctantly, Hotch nodded. "Understood."

"We can't have our people humiliated further." Bishop Berkley said as he stood. "I'm sorry we can't be more help."

Bishop Hooley got to his feet as well. Without another word, the two men followed suit of Bishop Yoder, leaving the room. Hotch and Rossi got up, meeting the eyes of despondent and frustrated Captain Lemont.

"I guess it was a fool's errand calling you here." She said with a shake of her head. "There's no chance to get a full autopsy of the bodies. And no doubt, in two days, the Lambrights' family will go in to arrange the funerals and clean out the house… we have no hope of getting permission from higher authorities by then."

Rossi wasn't ready to give up yet. He'd never been one to shy away from a challenge. "There must be something we can do. Appeal to them somehow… you've grown up with them, can't you think of something."

"I'm still an outsider!" She cried. "I get along with them, but with something like this, they'd never trust me. Especially if I'm the one that brought you. You'd have to be some kind of magician to appeal to them."

Rossi glanced at Hotch, smirking at such ironic phrasing. "Gee, where are we going to find one of those?"

Hotch narrowed his eyes a bit, "Back in Quantico and that's where he's going to stay."

Confused, Lemont glanced between the two. "Am I missing something?"

Before either could answer, there was the buzz of a cell phone. Realizing it was his, Hotch unclipped it from his belt and brought it to his ear. "Hotch."

"It's Morgan," the voice on the other end answered. "Emily and I are about to head back.

Perhaps all hope was not over yet. The bishops couldn't order the others not to assist them. If just a few could help them, they might at least get a firsthand look at the crime scene.

"Any luck?" he asked.

Morgan hesitated a moment before replying, "Depends what you mean by luck."

"What happened?" He sighed dejectedly.

"They won't help." He couldn't have stated it more plainly. "It's obvious they're all afraid, but they don't believe there's anything we can do. All they could do was talk about… leaving the area."

Hotch let out a breath, covering his eyes a moment. This wasn't going well. "If they leave, the killer will probably go with them, or just head to another Amish area and continue his work. It could take years before we track him down again."

"We haven't even begun the track him." Hotch grumbled. "The bishops want us to leave, and with the help of the rest of the community… I really don't know how we're going to solve this."

"Our only hope right now is to find the Lambrights' daughter." Morgan muttered, looking to Emily who was watching the quickly dispersing crowd. "Garcia must not be having too much luck in that area."

"Derek," Emily whispered, trying to get his attention. Her hand brushed his arm, sending unwanted electricity through his body. The kind he used to feel… when he knew he shouldn't have feelings for his partner. Why did she have to drive him so crazy?

As usual, she wouldn't be ignored. "Derek," she hissed again. "Look over there."

Unable to deny her, Morgan turned to look, spotting someone on the other side of the barn. A young man, with ear length dirty blonde hair and a baby face. He couldn't have been older than sixteen. His attention was on the two agents, staring at them with worry and fear.

What was he doing over there? They had to find out. "I'll call you back, Hotch."

"What's going on?" He wanted to know.

"I'll let you know," was the only answer he had to give.

Ending the call, he slipped it back onto his belt, never looking away from the boy. Slowly, he made his solo way across the barn, not wanting to move too fast for fear he'd scare him off.

When his pale eyes met his, Morgan was close enough to hear him gasp. The boy turned to run, wanting to rush to the open door. There wasn't a soul left in the barn… except for one, who headed him off at once.

"Hey," Emily said, blocking his path. "It's okay, we're not going to hurt you."

"I, uh…" He said. His words were soft, with the hint of a Germanic accent. "I need to be going. My father is outside… he will be waiting…"

"He can wait a minute, can't he?" Morgan wondered with the cock of his eyebrow. Emily couldn't help but feel a flutter in her stomach at the sight. God, she loved it when he did that.

The young man looked to the older in fear, as if terrified this powerful man would mistake him for the killer. Emily knew how intimated weaker men could be in front of him. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she said softly. "It's okay, you're not in trouble. Is there something you have to say? Something you want to tell us?" Her eyes pleaded with him silently. "Please, you heard us before… we need everyone's help. If you know something, keeping it from us is not only wrong, it's dangerous. More of your people could get hurt."

"I…" he said, hanging his head a bit. "I just… wanted to know… if you found Anna."

"Anna Lambright?" Morgan wanted clarified. "You know her?"

He hesitated a moment, "She's my friend."

Morgan and Emily glanced at each other. He might live in a different culture, but they could still spot a teenage boy with a crush. "We're trying to find her." Emily explained. "What's your name?"

"Ishmael." He answered. "Conrad."

"Hi, Ishmael." She answered with a caring smile. "I'm Emily, and this is Derek. Do you think you can answer some questions for us? Just to help us find who hurt Anna and her family?"

"I don't know who could have done it," he shook his head, still staring at the hay strewn floor. "I can't image who would do something so horrible."

Morgan had an idea. If he knew Anna, he must know the whole family. "What about Sarah? Do you know where she is?"

His breath caught at the sound her name, his eyes immediately filling with fear. It was the obvious sign of someone keeping a secret. Now they were getting somewhere.

"You do know her, don't you?" Morgan demanded to know. "Where is she, do you know?"

"I can't speak of her." He shook his head.

Morgan looked to Emily, both feeling a bit triumphant. JJ must have been right.

"You don't have to talk about her." Emily assured. "We understand, you're forbidden, but… if you could just tell us where she might be. Or why she was shunned. It's important we find her."

His breathing was getting more rapid and shallow. They feared Ishmael may be headed for panic attack, and the nearest hospital was a good distance away. They didn't even know where he lived.

"She hasn't lived here in almost a year." He forced himself to say. Just speaking about it must be a terrible sin. "Not since… she ran away."

"Ran away," Morgan said, trying not to smile. For once, the boy genius was wrong about something. But then again, as he often claimed, he didn't know everything.

"For three days." He answered, at last looking up. Now that it was coming out, he felt no desire to stop. "She was to marry my cousin, Jacob Graber and then, the morning of the wedding, she disappeared. She was gone for three days. I don't know what happened when she returned, but Bishop Yoder had a meeting with the ministers and the elders and… they felt they had to shun her until she repented. Anna told me that a few days later, she left in the middle of the night."

"She just left?" Emily asked, amazed. "Where could she have gone? Did she know anyone outside the community?"

He sighed again, knowing he had to stop discussing this. "The man in the van."

No way had they been expecting such a response. Morgan and Emily glanced at each other. Had he not been in such a strike community, they would have thought he was making this up.

"Van, what van?" Morgan questioned, utterly baffled.

"Ishmael!" A voice cried from outside the barn.

All three jumped and quickly turned to see an older gentleman in a flat hat waiting outside the open doors. He stared daggers at the two agents.

Ishmael dashed out of their reach, hurrying to door. "I'm sorry, my father wants to go."

"Wait!" Emily called, trying to run after him. "What man? Who is the man in the van?"

He stopped, looking back at Emily and Morgan. They stood expectantly, desperate for an answer. Just one little clue. Ishmael took a look back at his father, who glared at him, daring him to say anything more to the outsiders.

Turning back one more time, he said meekly, "Please… find Anna."

With that, he hurried away with his father, shoving his hat back onto his head. The two men stepped out of sight of the doorway. Morgan and Emily were finally alone.

"The man in the van?" Emily wondered. "That almost sounds made up."

"An Amish boy wouldn't know to make something like that up." Morgan responded, pulling out his phone.

"Are you calling Hotch back?" She questioned.

Morgan shook his head. "Garcia. She's one the one looking for Sarah… and the man in the van's our one connection to her."

It wasn't much. In truth, it seemed like nothing at all. But it was the only clue the morning had brought.


	9. A Big Inconvenience

"The man in the van?" Reid repeated in the direction of the speaker phone, poking his head out from behind the board. "That's really what he said?"

"Word for word." Morgan replied. "Where would he come up with something like that?"

"It could be a nickname they use in the community." Emily suggested. Her voice sounded a bit more distant, as if the phone were held a good distance away from her in order to keep her out of the conversation. "If he's an outsider, he could be someone who provides a service. Like a milkman or a delivery boy. Can you run a search on any companies in the area who might offer that kind of service. We can start questioning them."

"Running a search is one thing." Garcia grumbled. "Getting answers is another. I've got zilch so far on Sarah Lambright, it's like she fell off the face of the earth when she left home."

"If she's even still alive." Reid muttered from behind his board. It was so low, Garcia doubted the others heard it, and so made no comment.

Instead, she did her best to stay positive. "Let me see what I can do. You guys know me, I don't go down without a fight, I'm sure Mama can find something."

"Alright, the detective is waiting for us at the car, so we're on our way back to the precinct. Keep us posted, Sweet Thing." Morgan answered. "And try not to let Reid get on your nerves."

She chuckled with a smile, "Eh, he's not so bad. I'll be in touch, my lovelies."

The call ended and the room was silent once more. Garcia turned to her screen, unsure how to start this. With the other search going nowhere, her confidence had dropped slightly. If they couldn't find any results on these elusive people, how were they supposed to find this killer?

"Have you ever felt so useless in your entire life?" She muttered with a chortle. It was best to start broad, looking for local city owned business the Amish might have been involved with was as general as possible.

"More so than ever." Reid grumbled from behind his board, silent a moment before adding. "No offense."

That was odd. "What do you mean, 'no offense'?"

He poked his head out to answer. "I mean I don't want to insult you."

"Yeah, I got that, Sugar Daddy, what I want to know is why you feel I would have been insulted in the first place." She explained with a scowl. "Is staying here in my little lair not everything you dreamed it would be? Newsflash, it's not for most people."

"It's not that," he uttered as he came out from his work. He'd just finished putting the final touches on his geographical profile, ready for Hotch and the others when they were congregated at the station, ready for the evidence. "I just can't help feeling like... nevermind."

He couldn't finish. Saying it out loud would make it real. Swallowing hard, he turned back around, ready to force himself back to work.

"No nevermind!" Garcia cried, stopping him from disappearing. "This room is Vegas, okay. What happens in the lair stays in the lair, now, come one. Tell me what's bothering you."

"I can't say it." He shook his head.

She paused a moment, tilting her lead as she surveyed him. He leaned on the edge of the board, like he was so tired and desperate to get some sleep. She wondered if he were sleeping.

"I'd threatened to ask your wife, but something tells me she knows little more than I do." She jabbed. That was sure to strike a nerve.

Like a dagger wiped at a revolving target, her comment made him whip his head up. "What's that supposed to mean?"

"It's really cute how you two act like you're the only two people in the world." She teased. "You don't realize we see how you guys act with each other. You'd do anything for her, and her feeling is mutual... but we've also noticed when one of you is having a serious problem, something that could disrupt the dynamic of your current lives, you keep it from each other. Just to keep the other happy. It's chivalrous and romantic, but, it's not a good idea and, I know, her body's flooded with so many crazy hormones, she's like a ticking time bomb, but... she's still your wife. Riley will still support you, even if she's floating in the Emotion Ocean."

It wasn't possible for a person to think this hard without bursting a blood vessel. It wasn't even one thing he was trying to keep, it was an encyclopedia's worth. His nightmares, his worry he couldn't keep his family safe, his fear he would become just like his father, the list went on and on... and now this case. It was too much for one person to feel. How could he possibly present any of this to Riley? Especially when she was so scared herself?

"I didn't help much, did I?" She asked sheepishly, biting her lip back.

His fingers tugged down his sleeve as he glanced at his watch. "No, no, it's okay. I think I just need a break."

"That's a good idea," She exclaimed. "Riley's office isn't that far away, why don't you go and see her. You might feel better."

"She's got back to back sessions all day." Reid shook his head. "Besides, if I show up now, she's just going to think I'm checking up on her."

"But, Sweetie-"

"I just need some air." He assured quickly with an unconvincing smile. "When I come back we'll order lunch."

There was no point to argue. Reid had put up his all too familiar metaphorical walls and were barricaded inside them. Nothing could budge him now. "That sounds like a plan. Maybe I'll have some results by the time you get back."

He had no comment to that. All he knew was he had to get out of here, and without a word rushed to the door. It closed with a sharp snap, and Garcia was alone again.

She waited a moment, just in case her friend to come back in with a change of heart, but the door remained unflinchingly closed. Turning back to her computer, she decided her energy was better spent on helping the case than obsessing over her friend. She knew she couldn't push the young man. When he was ready, he would open up to her.

Just as she set to work her phone rang again. Garcia wasn't expecting a follow up call from the others for an hour yet, at least. Normally, they waited for her, anyway.

"Now, you guys know better than to rush a computer genius!" Garcia cried as she answered the phone. "You wouldn't storm into the church and nag at Michael Angelo of when the ceiling would be finished, would you? And word on the street is he wasn't quite the loving soul, I am!"

"Garcia, relax, it's just me!" Riley answered on the other end. "I'm sorry to disturb you, if you're busy, I'll call back later."

"Oh!" She blurted from surprise. "No, Riley, I"m sorry, I never expected you to call. Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's fine." She answered. Garcia wasn't sure, but she was certain she heard a restrain in her voice, almost like she were afraid to bring this up. "Is Spencer there?"

Garcia replied quickly, "I'm sorry to say, he just skeedaddled out of here. Did you try his cell? I doubt he'd go anywhere without it, not with you so close to the finish line."

Her voice had a slight elation as she answered. "Actually, I'm glad he's not there... I called because I want to talk to you. Alone."

Curious, and slightly bothered, Garcia couldn't resist leaning closer to the receiver. "I'm intrigued. What's going on, Sweet Girl?"

"It's nothing too serious... at least, I hope not. I need you to do me a favor." Riley pleaded.

Garcia couldn't deny she felt a little frightened by this. As light as she tried to keep her voice, Riley almost had a panicked air about her. Like she was trying to cover up a murder she just a committed. That was such a ridiculous thought, it almost made the technical goddess laugh out loud.

"Anything, Bunny, just name it." She replied. "It'll give me something to do, at least."

"There's just one thing, Garcia. Before I ask you, you have to promise me something." She urged.

"What?" Garcia questioned.

There was a long pause, and Garcia had a fear Riley had changed her mind and hung up. After releasing a long breath, Riley stated, "You can't tell Spencer about this. Any of it."

She was stunned. "You... want me... to keep something from your husband?" She inquired. "What in Heaven and Earth for?"

"I can't tell you," was Riley's answer. "You just have to promise me."

"I don't think you're thinking this through." Garcia insisted. "You know how much Spencer hates to be lied to and deceived. Not that anyone's thrilled about it, and to know that you're doing it, the one he loves more than anything-"

"Garcia, I already feel terrible about this, you don't need to remind me how horrible I'm being!" Riley cried." But I can't tell him! I don't even know right now if there's anything to tell." She paused letting out a sigh. "He's been so worried lately, you can't tell me you haven't seen that. He's nearly obsessed, about me and the baby... he's at my constant beck and call, he does everything possible to make me comfortable and yet he still feels he's not doing enough. He's barely sleeping as it is... there's just so much on his mind. I don't want to give him something to else to worry about for no reason... and I won't know that unless you help me. Please."

As much as she hated to lie to her friend, Garcia couldn't deny her. She sounded so scared, and it was something beyond a typical mother-to-be terror. Lowering her voice a bit, she agreed. "Alright, I won't tell him. For you... but you shouldn't keep this from him. Not for long."

"I don't want to. As soon as I know the truth, I can bring it to him, but I don't want to scare him unnecessarily." Assured Riley.

"Fair enough, I just want it on the record that I think it's wrong for you to keep this from him... not that he's so innocent in the matter."

"Does that mean you won't help me?" Riley wondered.

"I just want it on the record!" She corrected. "Now, Mama Bear, what do you need my ten talented phalanges to do for you."

With another heavy sigh, Riley declared, "I got a message this morning before I came in. The person didn't leave a name, and my assistant said his only message was he was a friend and he wanted me to call him."

Garcia gave a scowl she couldn't see. "That Bozo didn't honestly think that would work, did he?"

"I don't know..." Riley answered, not in the mood to take this lightly. "I'm thinking it's just an old patient. Sometimes they don't like to come right out and say they're trying to reach out to me again... but considering my history... I'll probably be paranoid about these things for the rest of my life."

She wouldn't admit to the worried and emotional young woman how suspicious this sounded. Not to mention Reid and Riley attracted misfortune like a dysfunctional lightening rod. Hopefully, it was nothing to fear, but no one would know until they found the truth. And the fastest way to do that rested with her.

"Well, you've come to right place!" Garcia cried, trying to put a light spin on things. It was one of her many talents when things looked grimm. "What's the number?"

* * *

Reid didn't make it very far in the hall. Only a few feet from the door. Even here, it felt much easier to breathe. How Garcia could stand being in that cramped little space every day of her career was an anomaly. Then again, he rarely had a fear of cramped spaces... only when he was feeling incredibly overwhelmed... like he was today. And almost every day for so many months now.

He leaned against the wall, his head knocking against the panel. He could hear the hustle and bustle in the unit nearby. It was like white noise, giving his strained mind an opportunity to relax and think.

There had been many times Reid worked from the unit while the others were away. He was home early and spent to evening with Riley. It almost made Reid want to find a steady, just so he could come home to her every day, falling asleep in her arms every night. Why was now so different?

_He should probably try to sleep, although if he were tired, he could just catch a nap on the plane. It had been a long, stressful week. A horrible murder case that brought them back once again to the stormy city of Seattle. Rain had been peppering on the windows for hours, now increasing into a heavy pound. He'd heard the weather worsened here as summer lead into fall, which is exactly what grounded their flight home that afternoon. To be at home with his beautiful wife. Riley, now in her second trimester, had reached the more amorous stage of her pregnancy, with her body flooded with hormones and constantly desiring his body. They could be at home right now, happy and exhausted, wrapped in each others arms and safe in their warm bed. It was enough to make him downright miserable._

_It broke his heart to leave Riley alone so much. It was only going to get worse once Escrow closed on their house in a few weeks. Then she'd be left with packing up the apartment and making moving preparations. Right now, he was trying not to think about it. He tried reading something to get his mind off his family, but the words on the pages just blurred together. He couldn't make sense between The Masque of the Red Death and The Everything Pregnancy Book. Instead, he turned to his absolute last resort, watching the television. _

_The glow of the box was the only light in the room, illuminating it enough for him to find his cellphone on the bedside table. His old flip phone. Old and outdated, perhaps, but it still worked like new. There was no reason to change it. _

_1:03 am, DC time. Riley was probably sleeping. He didn't want to risk waking her, although he hadn't talked to her since this morning, and it had only been for a few minutes since she was in the middle of her usual bout of morning sickness. The two continued to play phone tag all day, with his final call going unanswered. Being apart from her like this was enough to drive him crazy, he was desperate to hear her voice, just to know she and the baby were okay. The tiniest thing could go wrong and it could change everything... all because he wasn't there._

_Yet, he knew she needed her rest. Her health was most important right now. Despondently, he turned to set his phone back on the table. With a heavy heart, he turned back to the documentary on the Paris catacombs, hoping sleep would start to claim him soon. The sooner he fell asleep, the sooner morning would come and he could go home. If the storm let up by then after all._

_Uncomfortable, he kicked the covers off his legs, revealing the ratty black sweat pants he wore. He thought about pouring himself a drink from the mini bar. A little scotch or vodka might relax him enough to drift off. He hardly ever drank, but maybe it was just the ticket tonight._

_Just before his brain could tell his legs to get his body out of bed, his phone began buzzing on the table. Eagerly, Reid sat up. It couldn't be the team; the case was over. Snatching up the device, he quickly spotted the contact name. With a delighted smile, he answered._

_"Hey," He exclaimed, sitting up comfortably on his pillows. "I didn't think you'd still be up."_

_He sighed happily as he heard her voice in reply. "I wasn't, I went to bed early tonight... but I woke up after having this... really peculiar dream."_

_Reid felt a twinge of worry at that. Dreams could tell a lot of what a person was thinking and feeling, and Riley had enough fears about motherhood. What could her subconscious be telling her. Or more likely, scaring her?_

_"Really?" He questioned, keeping his voice casual. "What kind of dream?"_

_"It... it was nice. Strange, but... really nice." He swore she was smiling on the other end. "I dreamt about you."_

_"Oh," He nodded, confused. "That sounds nice. How is that strange, exactly?"_

_She giggled. "I dreamt we were children, that's why. You looked just like the pictures your dad showed me, and I was wearing this really pretty pink dress. It was so beautiful, definitely not something I remember having in my childhood. It was so odd, though. We were standing in this huge meadow surrounded by acres of sweet smelling grass and the most beautiful wildflowers I'd ever seen. It was the most gorgeous summer day and the was so warm."_

_"Wow, that sounds really nice." Reid smiled. "I can't remember experiencing something that nice when I was a boy."_

_"I know what you mean, and I know I never dreamt anything like it before. Anyway, we were running down this hill... you were chasing me and I was giggling like crazy. When we reached the bottom, we collapsed into the flowers, laughing and panting to catch our breath and then all these beautiful butterflies sprouted out of the grass and began fluttering around us, it was so incredible. The butterflies landed on my stomach and I could actually feel them tickling me with their wings... that was the strangest part... it felt so real." She paused a moment. "And then I woke up."_

_"It's incredibly common for a mother to have dreams at this point in the pregnancy." Reid assured. He still had an intimidating stack of baby books to read, but he'd already gotten through a couple dozen. "Although, most dreams consist of nurturing baby animals, like kittens. I never heard of butterflies before. Then again, I've never taken much stock in dream analysis."_

_"I don't think it was anything of importance, just... a nice dream with the man I love. When I woke up, I wanted to tell you about it. I hope I didn't wake you."_

_"No, no, I was up." Reid shook his head. "I was thinking about calling you, but I didn't want to bother you."_

_"You never bother me." She muttered with a certain grin. "So I got your message earlier. The case, it's officially closed?"_

_"Yes, we finally finished this afternoon, but the plane was grounded due to the storm." He grumbled as he added. "Stupid Seattle."_

_"I don't know," She said sweetly. "Some good things come out of that city."_

_"True, yet something about it makes me so happy to come home." Reid added with a light sneer. "So, other than wild dreams, how are you feeling?"_

_"Ugh," She groaned. "I've been nauseas all day. Whoever said all day morning sickness ends at 18 weeks had obviously never been pregnant. I finally felt well enough to have a light dinner, but I went to bed early when I felt it building up on me." She paused a moment as she muttered. "Plus, I miss you."_

_"I miss you, too." He soothed. "I hate sleeping without you. How's the baby?"_

_"Just fine," She assured. "My doctor's appointment is next week. Now, I need to ask you one more time. We both agree we will be surprised, right?"_

_"Yes," He forced himself to say. He wasn't too pleased with that decision, but she was the mother. She got to call the final shots. "We will wait until the birth to know if it's a boy or a girl."_

_She paused a moment, sensing his reluctance. "You're sure? Because if you're not okay with this, it's going to drive you-"_

_She stopped suddenly and gasped, in an almost panicked way. Reid froze, unsure what had frightened her so. After several seconds, he called out for her into the receiver. "Riley? Riley, what's wrong?"_

_After a slight hesitation, she answered. "Nothing... I... I just felt that flutter again... from my dream; I felt it in my stomach."_

_Curious and bothered, he sat up, swinging his legs over the edge. There wasn't much he could do, 3,000 miles away in the middle of a thunderstorm, but he couldn't stay seated when so suddenly alarmed._

_"Is something wrong?" Reid pressed, his own stomach churning. "Are you in pain?"_

_"No, I..." She let out a sound which Reid couldn't determine was a sob or a giggle. "I think... it was a kick. Spencer, I think the baby's kicking."_

_"No..." Reid sighed out in disbelief. "Are you sure?"_

_"I... oh!" She cried, and suddenly laughed again. "Yes, I'm sure! Oh my God, Spencer, the baby's kicking! I can't believe this!"_

_He listened with longing as she sighed happily. "That's..." Reid didn't know what to say. He was so happy the baby was kicking, but at the same time was disheartened. So much so, he didn't even think to hide it. "That's wonderful."_

_He should have known she would sense his disappointment. Riley could always read him like a book, even over the phone on the other side of the country. "What's wrong? We were so worried the accident hurt the baby and now we have proof. It's strong and healthy and growing normally, aren't you happy?_

_"Of course, I am." He choked out, feeling tears in his eyes. "I just wish I was there... I want to feel it, too."_

_"You do?" She teased. "Considering you wouldn't even touch JJ's stomach when she was pregnant with Joey? She told me you were scared for your life when you felt Henry."_

_"I was not scared for my life and this is different!" Reid yelled a little too forcefully. "You're my wife and that's our baby... of course I want to feel it kick." He shook his head again. "And I'm missing it."_

_"Spencer, it's not like this will only happen once." Comforted Riley. He could almost feel her arms wrap around him lovingly, her tender lips grazing on his neck as she spoke. "You'll be home in the morning and I'm sure the baby would love to give a few kicks for its daddy, you'll see."_

_He couldn't help but grin. "I hope so."_

_She laughed again. The baby must have been going at it, pleased at the new found talent it had discovered. Reid couldn't help asking. "What does it feel like, does it freak you out?"_

_"No... but it's so... oh, it is very very weird!" She exclaimed._

_"Bad weird?" He wondered, both nervous and intrigued._

_She took a long deep breath as she sighed. "Wonderful weird."_

It still broke his heart to think he wasn't there the first time the baby kicked. He missed so many nights along with so many days. More than half of the last six months. It made him so angry, he wanted to hurt something. And Reid was not a violent man.

Now he was angry and the person he wanted to hurt was himself. How could he be feeling like this? There had never been a time he'd rather be with the team than home with his wife. What was so different now? Was he just so scared about becoming a father, he just wanted to run? That couldn't be true, because just the thought of meeting his daughter filled him with so much joy. He already loved her more than anything.

Of course, his father always said how much he loved Spencer. Reid always thought his father overestimated his love for his child, but maybe he wasn't at all... and Reid just couldn't understand how weak he was until he was a father, too. Maybe this was how it all began.

"No!" Reid urged so loud, he was sure someone in the unit had heard. He took a deep breath and ran his fingers through his hair. That wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't let that happen. And as for the team? They were doing just fine without him.

* * *

Hotch was not prone to headaches, but on a case like this, it was no surprise the stress was causing him to develop one. By tonight, it was sure to be a full blown migraine if they didn't have any luck.

Emily and Morgan would be back any minute. Rossi and the captain were getting coffee while JJ was finishing up with the Adlers. JJ probably had a lot more luck than anyone else, but unless Garcia and Reid came through on their end, they had little hope of finding the unsub with the skeleton case they'd been served. If only the bishops hadn't been so stubborn.

There must be a way to please to them. Every man had a weakness, regardless of heritage. The team just had to deduce how to appeal to them. Of course, that wouldn't be easy. If it, he'd already have an idea.

Then again, he did have an idea... but he couldn't do that. It wasn't fair. Quickly, he pushed it from his mind.

The buzz from his phone couldn't have come at a better time. Rubbing the frustrated exhaustion from his eyes, Hotch grabbed it in hopes it was Garcia with some news. It was far from results, but Hotch couldn't have been happier.

"Hello, this is Agent Hotchner," He said with an obvious smile.

"Hey, it's me." Alexa smiled on the other end.

He was so grateful no one could see him right now. The warmth of his face had to mean his cheeks were a bright tinge of pink.

"Hi, Me." He answered. "I told you I'd call you tonight, is everything okay?"

"Well, yeah, everything's fine." She answered sweetly. "I know you're working right now but, is there anyway we can talk?"

His couldn't ignore the way his heart clenched at those words. So rarely were those said in good context. He cleared a frog in his throat and asked with apprehension. "I'm actually not busy right now. What's wrong?"

"Aaron, don't sound so worried." She said with a slight giggle. "I uh... I just found out something and I wanted you to be the first to know."

Curious, Hotch inquired. "What is it?"

She sounded so excited, Alexa had to take a deep breath to calm herself down before she answered. "Well... pending I pass all my classes at the end of this semester... I got accepted into a CNA program."

Hotch thought for a moment. "CNA, what is that?"

"It's a Certified Nursing Aid. A lot of nurses start there while they're in school and I got accepted, beginning this June." She explained.

"That's great!" Hotch exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell me you were applying, I could have written you a recommendation, maybe asked one of my team to do it."

"How could you have asked one your team? Then they would have known about us and Spencer could have found out." She pointed out. "And besides, it was just a simple application, and I didn't want anyone to know about it until I got in. I didn't even tell Meredith."

"I see," Hotch nodded. "So, what hospital is the program at?"

"Well, that's even better news!" She cried, practically giddy. "I didn't get into just one program, I was accepted to three."

"Three!" Hotch repeated, nearly bursting with pride for her. He'd been there when she first applied to community college, believing better education was years behind her, that she'd never make it in school. He knew she was smart, all she needed was a little confidence. And now she was on her way.

"Yes, and... I need your help. I can't decide which one." She answered. "See, they each have their pros and cons. The most obvious one would be Philadelphia Presbyterian. It's the closest to home, I could put the kids on their buses and still be there in time in the morning."

"That's true, but you don't want to choose a hospital just because of time convenience." He insisted. "You need to choose the one that's going to make you the best nurse you can be."

"That's what I was thinking." She agreed. "Another is Philadelphia General, which is the best hospital in the county, but it's done in the least amount of weeks that than the others, meaning the hours of training are longer, and I'd have to pick up some night shifts at the restaurant until I'm certified. Meredith would have to spend a lot of nights sitting for the twins."

Hotch let out a sigh. "Alexa, Meredith is a big girl and a member of your family. She needs to understand that families have to come together and help each other at times, especially when it's for all their good. I know Meredith's not a selfish girl, she'll understand."

Alexa chuckled a bit. "That's true, she is a good girl... but I'm more keen on my third choice. It's my absolute top choice."

"Well, then why are we talking about this, you've already made your decision." He stated.

"Not yet," She corrected. "My decision is based, mainly... on you."

That was such a shock, Hotch had to take a second to be sure he heard her right. "Me? Why me? Would I... not be able to see you as much?"

"No, actually... if I chose to go to this hospital, you'd actually get to see me a lot more." She answered. "It's a great program. The hospital pays almost minium wage during the training and then, as long as you keep working there, they pay for your nursing school."

"That sounds incredible!" Hotch cried with a smile. "I don't understand? Why do you need my approval to take it?"

She didn't want to answer. Something was holding her back. He could hear her anxious breathing on the other end, just waiting to work up the courage to tell him.

"It's in DC, Aaron." She finally replied.

Now it was his turn to be silent. Hotch was stunned speechless, suddenly seeing a whole world opening up to him.

"Aaron?" She finally asked on the other end.

"DC!" He finally cried. "You'd... you'd be in town!"

"Exactly." Alexa retorted, but her tone was very reserved. She was not as enthusiastic as a moment ago. "And believe me, I've looked at this in all different ways. It's the best program I can find, but it's three hours away from me now. I couldn't dream of commuting, so the kids and I would be forced to move again."

Hotch didn't know what to say. He wanted to beg her to move, but selfish for wanting it so much. "That would be rough."

"Exactly, so I don't want to disrupt their lives again unless moving to DC... is going to best in the long run." She stated.

"What are you saying?" Hotch questioned.

"I'm saying..." She choked a bit, taking a pause to take a breath. "I'm saying... where are we, Aaron? My reason for applying to DC was because I thought, it might give us a future. In my wildest fantasies I never thought I'd be accepted, but... I had this silly dream that it would bring us closer together. That it might give us a future. So, if I'm going to move my family again... I need to know it's not for some foolish fantasy. I ended up with an abusive husband because of a fantasy, I'm not going to let that happen again. I need to know, are we ready to be serious with each other? Because it's not going to be every other weekend, when we take long walks and have romantic dinners and share the deepest conversations I've ever had... it'll be real. It'll be every day... are we ready for that?"

A moment ago, he would have begged her to move down. But she was absolutely right. It wasn't going to be some 1-2-3 weekend filled with kisses and hand holding and staring into those jade green eyes that had him under her spell since he first swam in them. He would have to be dedicated to her, committed to her.

He wasn't so sure he was ready for that.

He'd been quiet so long, Alexa let out a slight huff. "I'm not sure, I think I have my answer."

"No!" Hotch cried. "No, that's not an answer, I..." He didn't know what to say and further more, seeing the sullen forms of Morgan and Emily stumbled in from the new fallen snow, he didn't have the time to say it. Turning and lowering his voice so neither could overhear, he continued. "I really don't want to discuss this over the phone, Alexa. I have a lot I want to say about it, but... I'd rather be with you."

"Aaron, if I choose DC, I have to tell them by Friday. Even if you're back from your case in time, can you really get here by then?" She demanded to know.

Thinking quickly, Hotch gave a solution. "I'll be done with the case in a few days. As soon as it's closed, I'll rent a car and drive to you, I'm less than two hours away. We'll discuss this then."

There was a hitch in her voice as, meekly, she said, "Okay... I better go, then."

"Hey," He lowered his voice even deeper as he sensed someone walk in behind him. "I'm really proud of you, Alexa."

"Thanks," She in turned, lowered her voice, too. They were so symbiotic that way. "I never could have done it without you."

"Yes, you would have. I'll call you tonight."

He nearly choked himself as he held back what he was about to say. Those three little words he'd only ever said to one other. He'd never been so close to saying it to her before... but how could he say he loved her if he wasn't even ready to be serious with her?

Saying a quick goodbye, he hung up the phone and swung around. He was right, he wasn't completely alone anymore. Rossi had come into the room, taking a seat at the table with Captain Lemont. Rossi looked at him with great interest. The captain, however, didn't seem to notice anything, looking over the files with strained eyes.

"Who was that, Garcia?" Rossi wondered with a grin.

"No..." He mumbled, flipping over the file on the Buchmans again. "Just a personal call."

He made a tutting sound, but smiled smugly at the younger man. Before anything else could said, Detective Simpson rushed in, slumping into a seat.

"How do you agents work with those two?" He groaned.

"Who?" Rossi wondered.

"Agents Morgan and Prentiss," He indicated. "It was like driving in a car with two children. If your teammates don't get along with each other, why do you send them out together."

With a much different expression, Rossi looked to Hotch. It was obvious they were thinking the same thing. They knew this new fight between them wasn't a rouse, not this time. Perhaps they let this clandestine relationship of theirs go too far.

Now wasn't the time to think of that, though. As the others began to file in along with Detective Peel, they knew it was time to get started. There was the case at hand after all. Sitting around the table, with saddened expressions and tempers running thin, they were ready to begin.

* * *

Reid returned just before two. He took his time, needing to clear his head. Now he was relaxed and ready to get back to work... at least he wanted to believe that.

"Oh, excellent!" Garcia exclaimed as she looked back to see him. "Young squire returns and not a moment too soon."

Intrigued, he forgot about his own problems for a moment. "Did you find something?"

"Believe it or not, I have!" She cried with great joy. "I don't know why I ever doubted myself, because I am so clearly awesome! Take a seat, my lovely, as I prepare to inform the troops."

Reid couldn't help but feel great relief as he took a seat. This could be his salvation. If this was the clue that could lead the team in the right direction, it could change everything. He'd realize the team didn't need anymore of his help than what he was giving now, and he focus his attention on much more worthwhile causes.

The phone gave two rings before it was picked up. "Garcia, you're on speaker." Morgan called.

"Thanks for the warning, Sweet Cheeks." She uttered before she could stop herself. She closed her eyes in a grimace and Reid had to hold in a laugh.

Quickly, Garcia recovered and began to announce her findings. "Alright, my peeps, I come forth with such great news, you are going to be shocked. If you were here, you'd rip off my Chanel knock offs and kiss my pedicure feet."

"Well, that's why we left Reid with you," Morgan teased. "Get into position, kid."

Reid rolled his eyes. Garcia, however, had his back. "Too bad you're not here, Morgan. You can't see what finger he's holding up right now."

"Garcia," Hotch announced. "Can we get back to the case, please?"

"Yes, sir, I'm sorry," She said, shifting to serious once again. "Well, let me say it wasn't easy, but thanks to Morgan and the ever so lovelie Emily Prentiss, the man in the van clue definitely paid off."

"You're kidding?" JJ called. "You found him?"

"It wasn't easy, because the results that came up could have led me in a number of directions." She declared. "I decided to do a search on transportation in the local area. Not too much on bus or car services, but there is a van service that caters to the Amish community."

"Yeah, that's true." Detective Peele announced. "I remember, in high school, kids with licenses could sign up to volunteer for that. It wasn't very popular, though."

"Precisely, and the company doesn't keep the greatest of records." She specified.

"Well, we don't all rely on those fancy wired boxes like you guys do." Lemont teased. "I'm amazed there was anything archived online at all."

"You and me, both." She agreed. "But, over the past few years, their records have been stored. Now, this van service is offered to the Amish districts on different days of the week, transporting people to and from downtown Pine Clove for shopping and conducting business. It's an entirely government funded program, everyone who works for it is on a volunteer basis. There are extensive background checks and drug testing, so anyone who works for the service is clean as a whistle."

"So, it's doubtful one of the drivers could be responsible for taking Sarah?" Emily wondered.

"Truly, my dear. In which case, I began looking through the histories of previous drivers from the last one to five years, and you'll never guess what I found. I tried searching for the drivers of the last few years and I was highly intrigued by a young man, going by the name of Brian Rosenplatt."

"Doesn't ring a bell." Simpson said with a shake of his head. "I doubt we've ever encountered him."

"You couldn't have." Garcia continued. "This kid is a boy scout. He has no criminal record, nothing but a clean bill of health, and a perfect 4.0 at our unit chief's alma mater, Harvard, which he returned from two years ago. That's where it gets interesting."

"How so?" Rossi wondered, just as intrigued as the others.

"Well," She announced. "As I said, he had straight As all through Harvard. This kid might not be in Reid's league, but he's definitely not int he minor leauge of super smart kids. He received a bachelor's in horticulture nearly two years ago... so that begs the question, if he has a college degree, why did he just recently pay for a GED class?"

"That... doesn't make any sense." Reid said, confused. "It's no surprise when someone goes to a junior college after the Ivy League to expand their knowledge, but... there's no reason to get a GED if you have a high school diploma."

"Unless he's paying for someone else." JJ cried. "Like someone who wouldn't have much money? And knows next to nothing of the US educational system."

"I think we should contact this young man as soon as possible." Hotch said at once. "Rossi, Emily and I will go there this evening, see if perhaps he's hiding something."

"Or someone." Lemont added.

"Even if he's not, he might be willing to cooperate with us." Reid mentioned. "Any chance you guys have the latest crime scene complied for me? I'd like to spend the evening looking over it?"

"Uh..." Garcia gave a side glance to the young genius. "Don't you think you're attention is better focused at home tonight, Papa Bear."

"It doesn't matter anyway, we haven't been in the Lambright's house yet." Rossi explained with disappointment.

Reid was close to speechless. "What!" He yelled. "How can that be? We're losing valuable evidence by just letting it lay there, what if the locals go in and try to clean up."

"It's not our fault, Reid!" Hotch explained. "The bishops aren't giving us permission to go inside. If we disrespect their wishes, it could cause a serious incident that reflects poorly on the FBI. That could have severe repercussions for us."

He thought for a moment as he slumped down in his chair. "I should have expected that. It's as easy for them to allow us into their world as it would be for a pack of wolves to allow a predator into their den."

"Well, that's very interesting," Morgan sarcastically announced, "but, instead of talking in metaphors from Animal Planet, got any ideas how to get on their good side?"

"It seems like Bishop Yoder is the one we need to appeal to most." Rossi informed. "The others seemed much easier to persuade, but Yoder wouldn't budge on the subject."

"Was he personally affected by any of the murders?" Hotch asked to Captain Lemont.

"I wouldn't know for sure, but Yoder would know the victims from his district very well. It would be no surprise that he's upset over their deaths." She informed.

"No," Reid answered. "It's got to be more than that... let me figure out a plan tonight and I'll give you guys some tips in the morning. It might help him open up."

Emily questioned, "What are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet." He replied. "Believe me, it would be a lot easier if I could think on my feet and talk to him myself. It makes me wish I was there."

"We were just talking about the same thing, Reid." JJ pointed out. "On the plane ride here."

Hotch, however, wasn't about to make lightly of such a comment. His cell sat on the table, let from when he finished his conversation with Alexa moments ago. Slowly, he slipped it into his hand and quickly headed toward the door. "Excuse me," he muttered, barely audible.

"Where's he going?" Peele asked once Hotch was clear of the room.

"Who?" Reid wondered, frustrated he needed narrative commentary to know what was going on.

"Hotch probably just... needed some air." Rossi replied. "Gracia, send us Brian Rosenplatt's current address, and Reid, send us that geographical profile as soon as it's ready. Unless there's something comes up, we'll talk to you both first thing in the morning."

"We'll be here with bells on!" Garcia exclaimed, and with that ended the call.

Reid slumped down in his chair again while Garcia began pulling up Rossi's request. She glanced over at her friend, unable to see the troubled expression on the young man's face.

"We'll be out of here by five." She mentioned with a soft expression. "It's not too bad a gig working here, is it?"

"We need to get into that house." Reid mumbled. "Every minute that house sits there, valuable evidence disintegrates and is gone forever. Statistically, evidence only lasts on an indoor crime scene for 72, and that's in the best of conditions. An Amish house would be much older, it wouldn't have the same insulation and structural integrity that a modern home would have... and for all we know, the neighbors have started to clean it out. There must be something we can do to convince them to let us in there."

"You mean 'them'." Garcia explained. "It's one thing to help, but it's not your responsibility to get in there."

At last, he looked up to meet her eyes. It was odd to see them so heavy and cold. "It is my responsibility-"

Before he could continue, Reid's phone suddenly rang. He picked it up anxiously, expecting it to be Riley. She always could tell when he needed her.

Instead, it was Hotch. That was a genuine surprise. Confused, Reid rose out of his chair at once. "I'll be right back." He murmured as he headed to the door.

The hall was empty as he left Garcia's office. Closing the door, he answered the call, checking around one more time just to be sure he was alone.

"It's Reid, what's up?"

"Reid, it's Hotch." He said on the other end. "The others don't know I'm calling you right now."

This was getting odder by the moment. "What's... going on? Is everything alright?"

"Yeah, everything's the same here." Hotch replied. He sounded very reserved, as if already regretting he'd made this call. "I wanted to speak with you... about what you said before."

He thought back, trying desperately to determine what exactly he meant. "I... don't understand, what do you mean?"

"You know, Reid, we're having a lot of trouble on this case. This isn't anything like what we've encountered before. And you seem to know a lot about the Amish."

"I know some." Reid answered. "Would you like me to read more up on the culture? I could do that tonight."

"No," Hotch answered. "What I'd really like... and I think I speak for the whole team when I say it... is I'd like you here."

Stunned, Reid took a slow step back, leaning against the door. "Excuse me?"

"Were you serious when you said you'd rather be here or were you just making a comment?" He wondered.

"I..." Reid didn't know what to say. He had just been making a comment... but he couldn't deny the truth in it. "I don't know, I didn't mean to suggest I wanted to join you."

"Normally, I wouldn't make this request. I understand you and Riley are going through an emotional time, you need your time together, you need to get ready for the baby... but this case. This is a bit out of our element here. If we have any chance of getting the community to cooperate and solve this case... we need every strength we have doing what they do best."

"You're asking me..." Reid said, anger bubbling up in his gut, "to abandon my pregnant wife and come help you because you can't solve one case without me?"

"I'm saying I need my whole team." Hotch stated, remaining calm. "I am in no way forcing you to come... but if there's a chance you'd be willing to... I could have the plane meet you there in the morning and a car drive you from the airport-"

It was like having an out-of-body experience. Part of him wanted to agree, that he wasn't doing any good here, and his team and all these poor victims needed him. The other part, however, knew what was more important to him... making him feel guilty and selfish in the process.

"No, Hotch, no!" He interrupted. "I can't..." He took a second to calm down a bit, and lowered his voice again. "I can't believe you're asking me that. I need to be here, my family needs me. And I'm sorry if that's a big inconvenience, but there's nothing I can do! I'm sorry."

Hotch waited a moment. He knew it had been a lost cause, anyway. "I shouldn't have asked, that was wrong of me. I'm sorry... just finish the geographical profile and then take the rest of the day. We'll talk tomorrow."

Reid didn't know what else to say. He felt horrible, like he'd abandoned them, and after all they'd done for him. All the support, all the times they saved his life... and the life of the woman he loved. He wouldn't be here, with a baby on the way, if it weren't for all of them.

Without so much of a goodbye, Reid ended the call. He let out a low, sorrowful grumble, closing his eyes as his head rested against the wall. He had never been so angry in his life, and entirely at himself.

* * *

A/N: I am sorry this took so long, I've been going through a lot of stuff the last few months, but hopefully posting will be a lot more regular now! Thanks for sticking around, you guys, I can't tell you what that means to me. :)


	10. It's a Girl

Didn't this place believe in heat? Morgan could deal well with the cold, but even this was ridiculous. The precinct was freezing. The team was on a break, trying to find a restaurant that would deliver in this growing snow fall. The soft hum of the local news was heard in the background. He wondered how many more inches were predicted for the night.

He hadn't been aware he was being watched. Emily kept her distance as she stared at him longingly. It was like she didn't know how to talk to him anymore. Every time she did, he'd twist her words around and they wound up hurting each other. But if they wanted to fix this, she couldn't avoid him forever. Throwing caution to the winds, she stepped forward and tried to speak without thinking.

"I don't want to fight anymore." She stated, loud enough where he couldn't ignore her.

Morgan tensed a bit at her voice, but at least he didn't evade her. Slowly, he turned around, sending a chill down her spine no frozen breeze of February could ever match.

"I don't have anything to say, Prentiss." He informed bitterly.

She wouldn't back off. He might not like what she had to say, but it was better than beating around the bush. "Fine, then let me talk." She said. "You're acting like a spoiled child. Something's bothering you, something that I apparently did, and you're not even man enough to tell me what it is. I can't begin to make up for it or even apologize until I know what it is and if you can't talk about it..." She paused for a deep breath. "Then I don't know how we can move on from here."

He muttered, giving a hard shrug, "Why does that matter?"

She gaped at him a second, "Because I'm in love with you! Look, maybe I am scared about getting married... and maybe I don't know if I want to have a family, and yes, there are parts of my past I truly wish could be erased, but that doesn't give you the right to shut me out. I should be able to tell my side of the story before you get to make a judgement. If you do love me, you'll give me that chance, Derek."

Her eyes alive with tears, Morgan took a step closer to her. Maybe he was frustrated at the long and straining day, maybe he was just tired of being angry with her, but he didn't seem to care at the moment about dangerous repercussions. Stepping directly into her personal space, he met her lips with his with such a fervid passion. He'd never kissed her like this unless he was about to lead her to bed.

It lasted much longer than was wise. Emily couldn't have forced him away if she wanted to, and damnit, she didn't want to. Her hands came up, bracing themselves on the sides of his head, feeling her body brought gently against him. His body was so strong and warm, and yet still, it sent a shiver through her. God, how was he always able to drive her so crazy?

When their lips parted, they both couldn't deny their joy at not being caught. She stumbled slightly as she opened her eyes, her legs shaking with desire for him.

"You're right... I should listen to you. Because I know you love me... and I'm praying for the first time in a long time that I am mistaken about all this, so I need to hear your side." He whispered, brushing back her hair. "How about you come to my room tonight after you get back?"

She hesitated, her lips pouting a bit as she answered. "I can't."

Anger bubbling in him, Morgan backed from her slightly. She wanted a chance to talk and now she just turns him down?

"Excuse me?" He murmured in a dangerous tone.

"It's just... I'm leaving in a few minutes for Lancaster, remember? To talk to Brian Rosenplatt." She explained. "Rossi said because of the snow, we'll just stay at a hotel and return in the morning."

He didn't want to be angry with her, but he couldn't help it. It was an involuntary reflex. "That's always the case, isn't it?"

"Damnit, Derek! I can't control the weather!" Emily hissed. "Don't you think I'd be by your side in a minute if I could? I sneaked into a hospital room to be by your side after you had surgery, for Heaven's sake!"

"That was a long time ago. Lately, I'm starting to question everything you do, Prentiss. I really am!" He snarled at her with slitted eyes.

She matched it with her own cold glare. "You know what, maybe what we need is a night away from each other." She said as she backed away, "see if perhaps we're better suited that way."

"Fine with me!" He yelled as she hurried out, going to meet the guys.

He backed up a bit as JJ stepped in, having caught the tail end of that argument. "Are you guys okay?"

"Dandy," was all he said, and snatching up his coffee, he stomped out. He stood in the hall just before the front doors, seeing Emily, Hotch, and Morgan bundle up for the cold weather outside.

As she bent down to pick up her bag, Emily glanced over and caught his eyes. She had such a look of fury and heartache. They held each others gazes for the longest time. Both wanting to say so much... and unable to utter one syllable.

"Emily, are you coming?" Rossi asked as he headed for the door.

"Yeah," she said, turning her back to her lover. "We'd better get on the roads before they get too bad."

They followed Hotch out into the winter air, leaving the others behind. Morgan stared for the longest time, already feeling like he'd lost her forever.

* * *

Reid rocked slowly, back and forth, at a very soothing pace. His head leaned on his arm, propped up on the handle. He thought he'd find some perspective in here... but all it did was make him more worried.

After finishing the profile, which took a little more time than he would have liked, Reid did as Hotch said and took the rest of the day. He called Riley's assistant to inform her after her session that he was taking a cab home early and would see her there. He needed some time alone to think, and the halls of the BAU was no place to do that.

Why he chose this one of all the rooms of his new home seemed pretty obvious, but after unlocking the front door, he barely remembered coming up here. His body had a mind of its own, leading him up to the second floor, passed the two spare rooms that were used for nothing except storage right now, passed the bathroom and to the open door of the newly decorated nursery.

He thought coming home today would make him feel better, but he didn't. He felt so guilty, he thought he might be sick. Why couldn't he just be here? Why couldn't his thoughts be focused on his wife; on his family? Why, every time did he close his eyes, did he picture those crime scene photos, thinking of those innocent families who had never seen an ounce of violence in their lives. Why was he so focused on the concerns of the daughter of a stranger than his own?

Reid gasped, startled as he heard the front door open downstairs. "Hello?" Riley called from the foyer. "Anybody home?"

"Yes, I'm here." Reid called as he sat up at once. His mind had gotten away from him, as it so often did. He jumped out of the rocking chair and headed towards the door. As he stepped out, he took one more glance around the room, taking in all the promises this place offered. Of all the days and nights they would spend in here in the time to come. He really couldn't wait.

The foyer was empty when he made it to the first floor, but Riley's coat was hung up and her purse and bag were set on the table next to his gun and badge. Some racket told him there was someone bustling in the kitchen. He headed straight in there where he immediately found his wife. Upon coming in here, she had made a beeline for the refrigerator. At first sight of her, Reid did feel a slight elation from his worry. Happy just to be here, alone with the woman he loved. Only it backfired within a moment, his guilt doubling back on him.

"Hey," She said as she poked her head up, pulling out a bright red apple from within. She'd had strange cravings come and go for the last six months, but her love of apples hadn't wavered.

"Hey," He muttered solemnly. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired," She mumbled, as she closed the white door. She stepped over to him to give him a kiss. A quick one; a simple ritual formed many years ago. But as plain as it might seem, it made them both so happy.

She gave him a smile as she indicated a few white paper bags set on the counter. "I'm a bad wife, Spencer. I stopped at the deli to get us dinner on the way home. I know you're disappointed I'm not making a home-cooked meal, but I've been thinking about corned beef sandwiches all day."

"Well, whatever the baby wants is fine with me." He teased. "How is our little one today?"

"Just fine," She smiled, her hand giving a loving pat to her belly. "Although I've been getting kicked constantly today. I actually cried out loud during a session when I got jabbed with what felt like an elbow, not to mention all my sessions kept getting interrupted since my bladder's being treated like a bean bag chair. Plus, my back's been aching on and off all afternoon." She lovingly fingered the buttons on his t-shirt. "Would it be too much to ask for a massage before dinner?"

"Of course not," He replied. "Why don't you go change into something comfortable and I'll meet you in the living room?"

"Actually, first, I just want to grab a snack. On the way home, I suddenly got this huge craving for an apple with peanut butter on it. Would you mind grabbing the jar for me?"

"Sure," He answered, pressing another kiss to her temple. He went to the cupboard, feeling a nauseous feeling in his stomach. This was all he wanted. To be home, performing every minuscule and mundane task for his expectant wife. Not thinking about unsubs and missing children and mysterious men in vans.

Riley took a glance at his retreating back as he stood at the pantry. She could sense his discomfort. He seemed his usual happy and loving self, but there was something off about him. As if, although he was delighted she was home, he wasn't so happy to be here himself.

He handed her the container of creamy peanut butter with a smile. She took it, carefully looking in his eyes for some kind of clue. "Are you alright?"

A little startled, he gave a scoff. "I'm fine... why do you ask?"

"You just... seem a little quiet, like you're trying not to think about something." She pointed out, putting the jar on the counter. Her abnormal appetite could wait, his needs were more significant. "You started a new case today, didn't you? Is it an intense one?"

He never could hide anything from her. When he tried, it always blew up in his face later, but he never could learn from his mistakes. "Uh... yeah. It's pretty tough, but I'm fine." He gave a shrug and a smile. "It's not important."

"It is if it's bothering you." She said kindly, stroking his arm. "You want to talk about it?"

Normally, he felt so comforted by her touch, but today was definitely something out of the Twilight Zone. He flinched away from her hand like it burned him, and he backed away.

Riley stared at him, appalled, like he just called her a nasty name. Usually, she hid her emotions much better, but with her hormones flowing just as wildly as her curly hair, a light glisten appeared in her eyes. It broke Spencer's heart.

"I'm sorry..." He mumbled, taking a step back. "I just... had a really rough day and I don't want to think about it, so can we talk about something else?"

She normally would have pressed him. Questioned and pushed him, no matter how long it took. She was tough and could stand his surly, removed attitude until it broke and he opened up to her. But right now she couldn't remember how to do that. Her mind was not working at normal capacity and she was tired and sore and filled with too many of the feelings she'd most of her adult life avoiding and ignoring.

"Fine," She answered. "You had a rough day. I can appreciate that because... because I had a rough day, too... but unlike you..." She tried to choke back her tears, but the burn was too strong, "I don't get to leave it at the office... I carry it with me constantly. I don't get any sleep because I'm consistently being kicked, or I have to go to the bathroom... my back hurts, my feet ache, my ankles are swollen... and I constantly feel like I'm about to burst into tears!"

Indeed, her cries turned into sobs as she turned from him, covering her eyes. Reid immediately rushed forward, putting his arms around her.

"I'm sorry, Sweetheart!" He exclaimed as he pulled her to cry on his shoulder. He kissed the top of her head. He never expected her to get so upset, but then again, her moods changed so rapidly from one moment to the next.

Neither did she, it seemed. "I'm sorry..." She muttered. "Sometimes all this just hits me... I'm trying to help you and all I can think about is myself."

He could certainly relate to that. "It's alright, that's what I'm here for. Your body and mind is completely erratic right now because it's playing host to a parasite."

"You think of our baby as a parasite?" She asked, looking up to him with wonder.

"I'm speaking in hypothetical terms." He said kindly, brushing back her hair. "But it's the truth, the baby has to completely rely on you, so you need to be able to completely rely on me... and I'd rather be here focused on you than a horrifying case."

She sniffled and brushed the tears out of her lashes. "I should be more understanding, but all I think about is my problems." She looked up and met his deep hazel eyes. So warm, so tranquilizing. "I'm going to be normal again someday, right?"

He sighed, resting his brow on hers as he brushed back her unruly hair that he loved so much. "We can only hope."

For a split second, he was afraid she might cry again, but she smiled and laughed wholeheartedly, pressing a loving kiss on his cheek. She nuzzled his nose against him, closing her eyes as she breathed in that comforting smell of coffee and Old Spice.

He closed his eyes as well, holding her close to him. His hand snaked down and stroked along her stomach, feeling his baby say hello to him with a few strong taps. This was insane. How could he possibly leave them?

* * *

The world had turned into a curtain of snow by the time the three agents arrived in Lancaster that evening. What should have been a one hour tripped turned into three. If they hadn't already decided to stay in town, they knew there'd be no way of making it back to Pine Clove tonight.

Emily was happy they decided to go to the Rosenplatt Residence as soon as they arrived. What she needed in order to distract her mind was work, and for once, Morgan wasn't right beside her. They did need some time apart, and this could clear her mind enough so she could think later. And help her decide what to do... if this was even worth fighting for at all.

The apartment building their suspect lived in was an older one, but very elegant. No doubt belonging to wealthier citizens of the small town. After the landlord let the agents in, they rode up to the seventh floor, hoping this conversation might lead them somewhere.

"Is it too much to hope that this guy we'll be our actual unsub?" Emily voiced into the wooden elevator.

"Oh, Emily," Rossi chuckled with a shake of his head. "You know life can never be that easy."

"I'm just saying, it would make the case go a lot smoother if, say..." She smirked, "we knock on the door and find the bloody murder weapon sitting right there on his coffee table."

Shooting her sideways glance, Rossi muttered, "You're such a dreamer."

Even Hotch could help but chuckle a bit. Their light laughter floated out into the hallway as the car arrived, dropping them off on the seventh floor. The apartment was just a few doors away.

It wasn't quite so funny anymore when they reached the door with a brass 7 hammered to it. Their badges were ready, their guns at their sides. There was no way to tell what would be needed when that door opened. Hotch, always taking the lead, knocked on the door. There, they waited.

It was unexpected when the door opened with the chain still latched, revealing the resident inside. It was an older woman, at least 50. She had black hair with streaks of grey, wearing a casual, yet sophisticated dress. Appropriate for a woman of her status.

"May I help you?" She asked, a slight irritation in her voice, confounded someone would come to her door at this time of night. And in a snow storm.

"Excuse us, ma'am," Hotch said, kind but stern. "Does Brian Rosenplatt live here?"

She eyed each of them as best she could through the small opening. "Why do you ask?"

All three knew the drill, holding up their badges for her green eyes to see. "We're with the FBI." Rossi explained. "It's important we speak to them."

To their surprise, she didn't get angry. Her eyes suddenly became scared as she closed the door. The sound of metal scrapping on metal could be heard and a moment later, the door opened wide for them.

"Just a moment," She said, exasperated. "Come in."

The woman allowed the three to step in one at a time. She eyed them up and down, as if looking for their weapons. There were none to be found with her untrained eyes.

They had stepped into a lovely living room. Furnished tastefully, yet it was obvious none of their furniture nor decor had come from discount stores or garage sales. What this family did for a living was curious, but they knew better than to ask.

The woman wouldn't walk away from them, not wanting to leave strangers alone in her home, even with fancy badges from the FBI. She turned towards a door on the other side of the living room. "Brian! Would you come here, please? They're some people who wish to speak to you."

"In a moment, Mother." A voice cried.

"No, Brian, now!" She called, worried and certainly frightened.

He wouldn't deny his mother. Less than a minute passed before a man in his mid twenties with dark hair stepped through the swinging door, taken aback at the sight of the agents.

"What's going on here?" He asked, shocked.

"Are you Brian Rosenplatt?" Hotch questioned again.

"Yes, who are you?" He demanded to know.

"I'm Supervisory Special Agent Aaron Hotchner, these are Special Agents David Rossi and Emily Prentiss." He explained, each one holding up their badges a second time. "We're with the Behavioral Analysis Unit and we need to speak to you."

"About what?" He wanted to know. He looked to his bothered mother, who appeared nearly angry at him. "Mom, I swear, I don't know anything about this!"

"Do you know a young woman by the name of Sarah Lambright?" Emily wondered. "We've been trying to find her."

"Sarah?" Mrs. Rosenplatt asked, getting even more troubled by this by the moment.

"Do you know her?" Rossi turned to her in a flash. She obviously recognized the name, but how well did she know the young woman?

"You have to have the wrong girl!" Brian exclaimed. "Whatever the girl you're looking for is involved in, I guarantee you, it's not her! You have no idea what kind of life she's lead."

Before any of the agents could explain, a meak voice called as a crack appeared in the kitchen door. So small, they couldn't see who was on the other side of it, but a wisp of blonde hair could be spotted. "Brian?"

Horrified, Brian, turned towards the sound, calling back. "Just stay in there, everything's fine."

Emily, however, called out to her. "Sarah Lambright?"

A tense silence fell throughout the apartment. Mrs. Rosenplatt looked from the agents to her son to the kitchen door and back again. Brian stared at the three, desperate to think of an excuse to make them leave. Without a word, keeping calm, Emily, Hotch, and Rossi just waited. Patience was sometimes their best weapon.

Sure enough, the door swung out further and a young girl emerged. She was in her early twenties, with long blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Her features were plain, but she was very pretty.

However, were a person to see her on the street, they'd never assume she had once lived the Plain way of live. She had on a pair of hip-huggers and a Happy Bunny tank top. A silver necklace hung around her neck with a simple gem on the end. She was nothing like the other young girls Emily had seen earlier at the barn.

"Are you Sarah Lambright?" She asked again.

"She's not the girl you're looking for!" Brian yelled, going over to put his arm around her. "She's never done one bad thing in her life, you've tracked the wrong person."

"Sarah..." Emily said kindly, taking a step forward. "You were born to an Amish family, correct? Until about a year ago, you lived the Plain way of life until you ran away from home. Is that correct?"

At first, they thought she hadn't understood. She just stared at the strangers in fear. Finally, she closed her eyes and said softly, speaking with a seemingly foreign accent. "Yes... I left home almost a year ago... to live with Brian and his mother."

"It might be against their rules to live our way of life," Brian snapped, "but it's no business of yours!"

Mrs. Rosenplatt was a bit more rational. She was very reserved as she questioned, "What's going on, is her family looking for her?"

"Mom, the FBI wouldn't get involved with something like that! This has nothing to do with the family that cast her out!" Yelled Brian.

"Brian!" She hissed, turning to him, hating to see him so upset.

Emily looked back at the men for permission. Hotch would have liked to break this news more gently, but they'd never get a chance to talk about this calmly. They had to tell her now.

"I'm very sorry to tell you this, Miss Lambright." Emily said softly. "But... two nights ago..." She paused, seeing the fear and anxiety grow in her bright cerulean eyes, "your family was murdered."

"Oh my God." Mrs. Rosenplatt squeaked before she covered her mouth. She turned from the group, trying to keep from crying.

Sarah seemed to be in a bit of shock, trying to process this news. Terrified, with tears growing in her eyes, she searched from each of the agents, desperate to learn this news was just a lie. That there was no way this was true. She certainly wished they had found the wrong girl.

"My family..." She stuttered as her tears began to flow. "No... no, that can't be true... no..."

It was then she completely broke down. Brian Rosenplatt, just as bothered by the news as the woman, took her in his arms, letting her collapse there. Emily stepped back, standing with Hotch and Rossi, allowing the girl all the time she needed to grieve. This was definitely one of the worst parts of their grueling job.

* * *

"What did I tell you!" Riley exclaimed as they climbed the stairs late that night.

"You're right," Reid nodded. "That is a pretty good television show, even with the slight inaccuracies."

Reaching the second floor, Riley turned back to him. "What inaccuracies?

"Well, for instance, Snow White never married Prince Charming." Reid explained. "Charming was Cinderella's prince. In the actual Grimm fairy tales, the name of Snow White's prince was never specified. He's just referred to as 'The Prince'. Also-"

"Stop!" She cried holding up her free hand, "I don't want to know."

"Well, if you don't want to hear the specifics, you shouldn't have asked!" He teased.

"Well, do me a favor," She said with a playful scowl. "When you read fairy tales and stories to our little boy, could you at least wait until he's eight before you start explaining particulars and technicalities to him."

He felt his shoulders tense up as he forced a smile. "I'll try."

Reid couldn't deny the vulnerable feeling he felt as she held his eyes a little longer than was normal. But she didn't say anything, continuing down the hall a second later like nothing had happened.

They headed into their room and Riley went straight to the bathroom. "God, it's the thirteenth time I've had to pee since dinner."

"It's also the thirteenth time you've told me since dinner." Reid joked as he tossed his shoulder bag on the bed. He did not want to look at that for the rest of the night.

"Well, I'm sorry!" She called out to him. "It must be hard for you to hear. Let's see how easy it would be if something made camp in your body for nine months and turned your bladder into a..." She paused, desperately trying to think, "what are those things called, that you squeeze in your hand?"

"You mean a stress ball?" He asked as he started pulling out some pajamas to wear. Something warm would be best.

"Yeah, that's it. I swear, my brain just doesn't want to function lately! You know I almost spilled the beans to Hotch this morning about Morgan and Emily."

She waddled back into the bedroom just as he started to unbutton his shirt. "It's very common for a woman in her last trimester to lose nearly 10 IQ points. It's no wonder your brain isn't working at normal capacity."

"Lose IQ points?" She questioned, going over to peck a kiss on his cheek. "Maybe I do wish you were a seahorse."

Reid rolled his eyes, but laughed, continuing to change for bed. As Riley pulled a nightgown out of her drawer, he headed to the bathroom in order to brush his teeth and freshen up.

At least for a little while tonight, he'd gotten the case and the team off his mind. Slowly, however, it was creeping back up on him. No doubt, a sleepless night was ahead of him. And even if he managed to drift off, all he'd see is that train plowing down his family again.

"Oh, my God!" Riley exclaimed from the bedroom.

The cry came out of nowhere. Greatly alarmed, Reid leaned down to the sink to spit out the mouth full of Listerine he had. He grabbed a hand towel as he hurried back into the bedroom.

"What's wrong?" He cried as he wiped his mouth and was instantly stunned.

Riley was sitting on the edge of the bed in breezy cotton nightgown, a familiar manila folder in hand. Her eyes had landed on some of the more gruesome pictures sent straight from Pine Clove, Pennsylvania. She looked up to him with horror.

"What the hell is going on in Pennsylvania?" She whispered.

Tossing the towel onto the ground, he dashed over to take the pictures from her. "What are you doing, why are you going through my bag?"

"I didn't!" She cried. "You left it on my pillows, I set it on the floor so I could turn down the bed... it fell over and some of the files spilled out... I shouldn't have opened them, but I couldn't stop myself."

"Riley!" Reid clutched the folders in hand, creasing the papers slightly. "You shouldn't be looking at these, it's... not something you need to be thinking about."

"I'm not," She answered.

"What?" Reid wondered, glancing over at her.

A gentle hand came up to brush against his shoulder. She was grateful he didn't flinch from her this time. "I'm thinking about my husband who's thinking about these things. This case is obviously bothering you, Spencer... and if it is, you need to talk to me."

"Please," Reid exclaimed, lowering his head. Locks of his hair fell around him and into his eyes, blocking his face from view. "I don't want you treating me like some patient. I don't need you to analyze me, I can handle my problems."

"Spencer!" Riley exclaimed, bothered. "I'm not your therapist anymore, damnit! I'm your wife! If I can't help you with your problems, than who can? There's so much you're bottling up right now and it's choking you. Will you please, just talk to me?"

She was right, and that made him feel horrible. He rubbed the exhaustion from his eyes as he sat up, turning to meet her eyes, filled with worry for the man she loved. The eyes he searched for in so many dire situations, even at the times he thought he wouldn't see the sun rise again. No one could ever look at him like that, a gaze filled with so much love and compassion, only for him.

"The unsub we're hunting in Pine Clove is targeting Amish families." He explained. "They hurt the whole family, including the children. It doesn't matter what age."

"How?" She questioned.

He shook his head, lowering his voice. "I don't want the baby to hear."

She understood that, and agreed. Even the smallest ears should be spared such horror. She continued to brush his shoulder as he reached into his bag, pulling out another folder.

He cleared his throat and removed another photo, the one of the bare mattress with the stain of blood. "The last family that was taken... one of the victims wasn't found in the crime scene. There's blood on her bed, but no sign of a body. She's still missing, and the lack of blood means... she might even still be alive. We can't even begin to look over the crime scene because the bishops don't want anymore outside help. The team can't figure out how to move forward on this case without the community's cooperation, and they won't give in."

"That's terrible." Riley said sadly. "Do they have any idea what they're going to do?"

"They're trying to figure out how to appeal to the bishops, but... no luck yet." He muttered. "I wish there was something I could do, but I feel so... incredibly helpless here! And it's frustrating, and that makes me angry because it makes me want to go to the team, but I have to be here with you. And I want to be here with you, nothing matters to me more than you and our baby."

He felt so ashamed, he couldn't even look at her. Perhaps he thought finally admitting this would give him some relief, but all it did was build the weight in his stomach, like he'd eaten a hot stone for supper.

"Why couldn't you just tell me this?" She wondered, brushing his hair off his face. Her voice was so calm and loving... and it only made him feel worse.

He cleared his throat, shaking his head. "Hearing your husband would rather travel miles and miles up north than be with you? I was sure that would set off the monster of all mood swings."

"I know I haven't been myself... and no one is more bothered by that than me." She assured. "But upsets me more is that you don't trust me enough to confide in me. I'm still you're wife, I will still help you through anything. I get more upset when I get frustrated... right now, I just want to help you, and..." She lightly stroked his cheek as she added, " I think I might have a solution to your problem."

"What?" He mumbled.

With a smile, she leaned closer and said softly. "You could go to Pennsylvania."

Stunned, Reid felt his jaw drop and turned to find her gaze again. She wasn't angry or hurt. Other than worried, she was just as pleasant as always giving him a light smile.

He gaped at her for a long time before he finally swallowed and replied. "I can't go."

"What not?" She demanded to know with a laugh. "It seems the simplest answer. And, as I always say to my patients, the simplest solution is often the best... however hard it is for you to do. I know you don't want to go, but maybe you have to."

"No," he uttered. "That's not an option. I'm not going to leave you."

She observed him a moment, seeming to studying him closely. "Tell me you haven't been thinking about it. Maybe even wishing for it."

"Riley, I'm here to be with you!" He cried. "What kind of husband would I be, abandoning my wife when she's about to have our baby!"

"Spencer, I have almost three weeks to go!" She urged him to see. "I'm nowhere near labor, Dr. Franklin said so himself. If you feel you need to be on this case, then you need to go. I'll be alright until you get back."

"But why?" He wondered. "I've worked cases from Quantico before and it never bothered me. I love being able to come home and be with you. Why is this case so damn important that I can't keep away?"

"That's a good question." Riley pointed out. "I think the answer is pretty obvious. You're instincts have always been pretty in tuned with the world around you. Your gut is telling you these people need you, and your team needs you."

"They've solved cases without me before!" He stated plainly. "They could do it again."

"Spencer, maybe they can't!" She cried. "Maybe not this time. If anyone knows more about a different culture, about their lives and how to interact with them, it would be you... you've always been able to help people. You've always been able to get a person to open up when it's the last thing they want to do..." She grinned, pushing his hair behind his ear, "I mean, you made a cold, soulless woman fall in love with you and start a family, that's pretty incredible."

"You are not cold and soulless." He corrected. "But I think you're right. I couldn't stop thinking about that missing girl all day. If she was still alive, if she was in pain somewhere, how scared she must be... she was someone's baby. She was someone's little girl. They may not live the same as us, but there isn't a culture on this earth that doesn't love the same. They love their children and families the same way... and someone just took their lives away. These people don't deserve to live in fear." He turned to her gaze again, looking as if he might cry. "But I hate to leave you."

"I'll be fine." She shook her head. "I already told you, I'd finish out the week and start my leave, as long as you hold up your end of the deal."

"I will," he swore.

"Good," She smiled. "Now, are you going to tell the team you're coming or am I going to have to do it for you?"

"Hotch did ask me if I wanted to join them earlier today. I was kind of short with him... mainly because I didn't want to admit how much I wanted to go." Reid admitted. He stared deeply into her eyes, searching for any sign of insincerity or apprehension. "Are you sure you'll be alright if I do?"

She smiled again, with complete love and truthfulness. "I'm sure." She caressed along her stomach lovingly. "We made it this far, we'll make it another week, and then everything will be just as it should."

He sighed and leaned over to press a kiss to her lips. His hand went to rest over hers, right at the crest of her bump.

"I don't know what I'd do without you." He whispered, leaning into her ear. "You're the best person I know and I can't imagine not having you in my life. I love you and I'm so happy you're having my baby."

"I love you, too." She smiled. "And I've said it before... I wouldn't want anyone's baby but yours."

He pecked one more kiss on her lips, standing up to find his phone. Remembering, he stepped into the bathroom to fetch it from the bathroom sink. Hopefully Riley was right and Hotch was still up. Asleep or not, though, he as well as the others, would be relieved Reid was coming.

Returning to the bedroom, he was just about to select Hotch's number when he stopped, looking up. His eyes landed on Riley, who's eyes were glued to the photo of the bloodstained mattress, her eyes watering.

She must have been thinking the same thing he was. The team could wait a little longer. Sinking beside her on the bed, he prepared himself to comfort her.

What she said, however, was so unexpected he nearly shrieked from surprised.

"We're having a girl, aren't we?" She asked.

Reid's eyes practically popped out of his head. He gawked at her like she was some grotesque painting, his brain desperate to figure out how she'd come to that conclusion. All on her own.

"Wha-"

"Why else would you be so upset over this missing girl?" Riley wondered looking up.

"Because..." Reid didn't know how to get himself out of this one. "Because... I care about all the victims, especially children."

"That's not it. I know you, and you're main focus is on this girl, why else would this one picture be the only one in the most opened file in your bag." She gave him a superior sneer. "I can see the creases. You must have read over that one countless times, and for you, that's saying something."

"And you think... that's because... we're having a girl?" He questioned. She'd definitely picked up too many profiling techniques over the years. Or maybe he was just easy to read.

"I don't know how you know, but you know. Maybe the doctor told you while I was in the restroom last Friday, but the point is you do know. I thought I was imagining how uncomfortable you were when I first mentioned it being a boy, but when you made the same face in the hallway a few minutes ago... I knew it was true. We're having a girl, just admit it."

"But you want to be surprise." He insisted.

She grumbled and exclaimed. "Spencer! Tell me!"

Reid had no choice. A pain in his chest clenched him as he grimaced and finally revealed the truth. "It's a girl."

"Damnit, Spencer!" Riley exclaimed, tossing the photograph beside her. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to know, because you wouldn't be able to keep the secret! I wanted to be surprised!"

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to, I accidentally saw the chart, and..." He paused a moment, confused. "Wait... you're not angry?"

"No," she shook her head. "Why would I be angry?"

"Well..." It probably wasn't wise to say this, but he couldn't take it back now. "You said you... wanted a boy."

She tilted her head as she fixed him with a hard stare. "That doesn't mean I don't _want _a girl. I love our baby, no matter what. I think it's wonderful we're having a girl."

Her voice trailed off as she hung her head a bit, seemingly in a shameful way. She gentle grazed her hand down her baby bump, staring down at it with sad eyes... almost remorseful.

"No, you're not," Reid corrected, his hand coming over to rest over hers. "Are you really that shocked it's a girl?"

"No... I knew it was a girl." She wistfully mumbled. "I've known for a long time. I've had a feeling... almost since the beginning. I was just hoping if I thought hard enough, that feeling would go away. But it just got stronger."

It pained her to see her so tormented over this. "Why did you want a boy so much?"

"It was just a nice idea." She looked up and smiled through her growing tears. "I couldn't help but think of... us, as a perfect little family with our baby. Our son... who grows up to be just like his daddy." Her eyes drifted away just as Reid caught the sparkle of tears in them. "Having a daughter will be wonderful, and I know I'll love her, but... I feel like she's already cursed." She shook her head and closed her eyes, a few tears leaking out. "I hate the fact that she might turn out like me."

With a delicate finger, Reid reached over to brush her tears away, bringing her gaze back to his. "Really? Because that's all I've been hoping for since the first time I pictured us having a baby. A beautiful girl exactly like her mother."

"You mean emotionally stunted with abandonment issues?" She questioned with a raise of her eyebrow.

"I mean beautiful," Reid corrected, "in every sense of the word. Someone who's kind and confident with wild curly hair and has the biggest heart I've ever known. Who's smart and funny and loving and has made all my days better since she knocked me down in front of that diner."

"Hey!" She exclaimed, giggling through her tears and giving him a playful smack. "You're the one who ran into me, remember?"

"Only because I was too afraid." He corrected. "What if I never saw you again?"

"Well, that wouldn't have happened." Riley replied, brushing his cheek. "We always find each other... don't we?"

With a smile, he leaned in and met her lips. Her hand slid down and gripped his pajama shirt, sighing with great content. He prayed the day he no longer adored that sound would never come.

When they parted slowly he kept her close, staring deeply into her eyes. "Are you sure you're okay with me going to Pennsylvania. Because if you're bothered in anyway, I won't go. If you're anxious or worried or scared... or you just don't want to be alone, I won't go. I won't."

Truthfully, she felt all those things. Her mind flashed for a moment, picturing the mysterious phone number again. The car parked at the inner section, and the feeling growing stronger and stronger that she was being followed. Garcia hadn't gotten back to her yet, and the longer she had to wait, the more worried she became. Not to mention just the thought of labor without her husband terrified her. None of that mattered right now, though. This wasn't about her. She might regret letting him go, but Riley couldn't bear to make him stay when this was what he needed.

"Stop worrying, Spencer." She said with a smile. "Me and our little Baby Brainiac will be fine until you get back."

She was relieved when he gave a genuine smile. He selected Hotch's number and gave her a kiss on the cheek as he waited through the rings. Riley closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder.

Everything would be fine. She would be back in his arms in a few days and it would be like he never left. And as for her worries... well, those were just the fears of an expectant mother. They had to be.


	11. Sarah's Story

"Sarah came to live with us almost a year ago." Mrs. Rosenplatt said as she sat down with Hotch and Rossi in the living room. She had brought out tea for them to share, an elegant tea set on a silver platter. Even with the late hour, she still kept up the part of the generous hostess. Sitting down on the couch across the gentlemen, she poured them both a cup. "I wasn't keen on the idea, two young people living together, and in such a small apartment, and with a girl who had such a different upbringing... but they were in love, I couldn't deny them."

"How long were Sarah and Brian dating, that you know of?" Rossi wondered, taking the offered teacup from her on a matching pink and white saucer.

"Well, I don't think there was anything official until she moved in with us." The mother explained. "I'd heard about her for years. Brian's been volunteering since middle school, at his father's request of course. It was always the plan his son go to Harvard, just like him, so he needed his extracurriculars were well padded. He pushed Brian to sign up for the Lancaster's van service for the Amish. Brian didn't like the idea of sacrificing so many weekends and afternoons driving religious zealots around, but his father said anything that would make him stand out from other students would be a plus. So he took the job... he'd always had a problem saying no to his father, and I think now he's grateful for it."

"That's how he met Sarah?" Hotch wondered.

Mrs. Rosenplatt gave a solemn smile and nodded. "In the beginning, he was very broad about the experience. He wasn't well accepted among the communities at first, but he was so friendly..." She smiled even wider. "He's never had trouble making friends, and the people who used the van service enjoyed his company. He came home, telling us stories about the trips and the people... and then he started telling us about specific people... and before... the stories were all about Sarah."

"I see," Hotch nodded. "So a relationship blossomed between them."

She was hesitant to answer at first. "Not in the normal sense. When Sarah moved in, he swore to me that they'd never been... intimate." She assured. "I trust my son, he's never lied to me about anything serious, so I assume what first formed between them was a friendship. He told me they spent time together in town. He'd have several hours here in Lancaster while his passengers did business, so his time was his own... when he drove Sarah to town, he would spend time with her." With a bit of a laugh, she explained, "Brian's a bit of a class clown, so there's no doubt he made her laugh. And Sarah... I believe she had a lot of questions for my son."

Rossi set his cup down. A few sips of tea was enough for him, never being too fond of the stuff. Coffee was more for him, or something stronger. "What do you mean by 'questions'?"

Leaning forward, she lowered her voice a bit, as if afraid the young girl might be listening at the door. "I've lived in Lancaster all my life and so have my children. We know very much about the Amish and their lives. Sarah came from an Old Order, much stricter than the modern communities. Yet... she's adjusted to this life very well. It didn't take her more than a few weeks to change her wardrobe, to get used to electricity and modern technology. She even has several favorite television shows now. A girl who was comfortable living Plain wouldn't have adjusted so quickly. She was more than willing to change her ways. I can tell, she wasn't happy in her old life. I'm not saying she fell in love with Brian because she saw him as an escape... but the more and more he told her about our world, the more she wanted to leave hers."

"Did they remain friends while Brian was at college?" Asked Hotch.

"No," Mrs. Rosenplatt answered. "That I know for sure. Brian ended his volunteer services at the beginning of his senior year, when his father died. We dealt with that during the year and then, he went off to college, just as we always planned. He stopped talking about her all together. His sister and I even mentioned her from time to time, but... he'd never say a word on the subject. I could tell it was too painful. There was no mention of her until after he graduated."

"What happened?" Rossi pressed, wanting her to continue.

She let out a chuckle. "I came home from work one Tuesday evening... and they were here. Sarah was sitting on her couch, wearing this bright blue dress with an apron and a bonnet. She was crying her eyes out. Brian was trying to comfort her. I demanded to know what was going on, but all he'd tell me was that she was his friend and she needed help. She stayed here for three days and then Brian took her home. I thought that was the end of it. About two weeks later, she came back. He said she left home because she'd been shunned."

Rossi finished for her. "And, having lived here all your lives, you both knew what that meant."

"The poor girl had been turned out by her family, I had to help her." She assured. "At first, I told him it could only be until she got on her feet, but Brian begged me to let her stay... that they were in love. I didn't believe him at first, but he told me how serious they both were about this. They weren't going to get married right away. They were going to wait until they were stable, when Brian had some money saved and a steady job. Sarah was going to go to school and find a career... she was even going to convert to our religion."

"That is serious." Hotch indicated.

"I was afraid their flame would burn out within a few months, but... here they are." She shook her head as she looked away for a moment, a pensive look on her face. "I don't think she misses her life too much. I certainly wouldn't."

Hotch opened his mouth to reply, but stopped as his phone rang. It was completely unexpected, even more so when he saw the name on the screen. He glanced curiously at Rossi for a moment, who leaned over to see the name. Just as stunned as Hotch, he met his eyes with question, seeing it obvious neither knew what this was about.

"Excuse me, I need to take this." He informed as he stood up, wasting no time taking this call. He made his way to the hall, leaving the two alone.

They watched him step out, the door closing with a firm snap. Mrs. Rosenplatt turned back to her guest. "I can't imagine what these poor people are going through. Sarah must be mortified... I wouldn't blame her if she was angry with Brian and me. She was shunned and I realize that means her family can't speak to her, but... she was living comfortably here while her family was slaughtered."

"Mrs. Rosenplatt," Rossi urged at once. "Shunned or not, if Sarah hadn't been living here, she'd be dead right now. In a way... you saved her life."

She was comforted by that, but it was shadowed by the horrors of what had happened.

"Does Sarah talk about her old life at all?" Rossi continued, pursuing anything that could be related to the case. "In any way or form?"

She shook her head. "It's a touchy subject. Shunning might be a tactic in the Amish lifestyle, but... it hurt her. I can't say I blame her. I mean, we all know about the death penalty, many even agree with it, but regardless of the circumstances, each of us would be devastated if we learned that was our ultimate punishment."

"It's not exactly the same. Unlike the death penalty, though, Sarah had the option to repent and rejoin her community." Rossi corrected. "I assume she doesn't talk abouther family?"

"She never brings it up." Mrs. Rosenplatt said. "But, there have been times... a few, that she's talked about them. She wonders how her brothers are, if her parents are well, if they had another child... but mostly, when the subject does come up... she talks about Anna."

"Her little sister?" He clarified.

She retorted, "Sarah's nearly ten years older than her, but I can tell they were incredibly close. I have two children who I know - deep down - do love each other, but they despise each other most of the time. Sarah and Anna; I've never known siblings so close. I always prayed one day, the girls could reconnect... I guess now it's impossible."

He didn't wish to reveal too much, not a civilian. But, with a nod of his head, Rossi gave a prideful smile. "Nothing's impossible."

* * *

The kitchen was mostly quiet, with the intermittent sounds of Sarah Lambright sniffling. She'd all but calmed down for a time, sitting at the table hunched over a bit, her head hung low with her dark blonde hair falling around her. Brian sat beside her with a comforting arm draped over her shoulders. He wasn't sure what to say to make this better. Truly, no one knew what to say at a time like this.

Unless you had experience, which Emily, unfortunately, had too much of. "I can't tell you how sorry I am for your loss." She said as she set a hot cup of tea Mrs. Rosenplatt had made across from the poor girl. "When was the last time you saw your family?"

Sarah stuttered a bit, trying to breathe. It was difficult to speak and Brian stepped in. "Is this really the time to talk about this?"

"This is a very time sensitive case." Emily assured. "We need to learn everything we can if we're going to investigate this case properly."

"I'm sorry about what happened to Sarah's family, but we didn't have anything to do with that." He fiercely insisted. "We are not suspects; there's nothing we can do to help you."

"We can't make that judgement unless we know the whole story." She corrected. "We know very little about Sarah's family, but if she can tell us more, it could exponentially help our investigation and, ultimately, find the killer."

"There are other people who knew Sarah's family, why can't you talk to them?" He demanded.

Obviously, he wouldn't allow this interrogation easily. Theoretically, Emily would suggest he was hiding something. However, today, that didn't seem the case.

"We have tried." Emily insisted. "But they're not cooperating with us, they don't want our help. However, it's our responsibility to find the killer before he strikes again."

"Another time?" Sarah wondered, glancing between her boyfriend and the agent. "Does that mean other people have been killed, too?"

Emily hesitated, but knew it was better to tell the truth. Especially if they wanted her help. "Yes," She said softly. "Six other families around Pine Clove area had been killed in the last month, seven total. With the reluctance of the bishops and the districts to let us investigate properly, there's little we can do to stop this killer." She met Sarah's saddened blue eyes and stated. "We refuse to give up, though, because it's our duty to stop more people from suffering."

The young girl breathed slowly, keeping her eyes locked with Emily's. Brian brushed back some of her hair as she shook her head. "I'm not sure if I can tell you anything useful."

"We won't know that until we know everything." Emily avowed. "Why don't we start from the beginning. When was the last time you saw your family?"

Hanging her head again, Sarah answered, almost shamefully. "The night I left... they hadn't spoken to me in three days. No one looked or talked to me, I felt like a ghost... I was completely isolated from the people who knew and loved me my entire life. It was so painful."

"So you decided to leave?" Emily wondered.

"I suggested she leave." Brian corrected. "We were planning to sit down with her father and her grandfather and explain to them that we were in love. I wasn't planning on becoming Amish, but I was going to promise to take care of Sarah, love her, provide for her, and respect her ways as best as possible... but when they shunned her, I knew we'd already lost."

Curious, Emily asked, "How long have you known each other?"

"About seven years." She answered. Looking to her boyfriend, she gave a sad, yet lovely smile. "There's a van service that takes people into town on certain days of the week. My father was helping a sick neighbor one day and couldn't drive us to Lancaster. Since my mother couldn't handle the buggy very well, she suggested we ride in... that was the day we met."

It was a rather romantic story. Had it not been for the circumstances that brought her here, Emily would have immensely enjoyed hearing it.

"I made a really lame joke about the cattle in one pasture." Added Brian. "Sarah was the only one that laughed."

"I didn't tell my parents, but after that first day, I started taking the van service as often as I could." She blushed, her smile getting a bit wider. She was obviously embarrassed of how she'd come about pursuing the man of her interest, as girls often were. "Brian didn't drive it every time, but when he did... I started following him. It took me two months before I worked up the courage to say hello to him. He said to me..." She giggled softly and shook her head.

Brian continued. "I said 'Oh, you can talk. All this time I thought I had an Amish shadow.'"

Even Emily found it cute, smiling with the two young lovers. "So you two got to know each other?"

"I gave Sarah my driving schedule and she came to town with me whenever she could." Brian reached over on the table top, taking her tiny hand, holding it gently. "We became very good friends, we talked about everything. I knew I was in love with her, but I just assumed, with how fascinated she was in my life, her only interest was the outside world. I tried for almost a year to convince myself it was just a crush, because I knew... I could never have a life with her. We came from completely different worlds."

"Frankly, I was interested in his world," Sarah explained, clutching his hand tightly. "He seemed so... exotic. I'd felt drawn to the English world since before I can remember... spending time with Brian was a dream."

"At the beginning of my senior year, my dad died." Brian explained. "My little sister, she's in college now, was only in 8th grade then, my mother needed me to watch her while she was work. We almost thought I wouldn't be able to go to college, the circumstances were so drastic. Sarah and I had to say goodbye... and I thought I'd never see her again."

"That must have been hard." Emily sympathized.

"It was," Sarah muttered, her sadness rising to the surface again. "I didn't even get to see him his last day driving, I was busy helping with a neighbor's birthday party. He came to my house that night, tapping on my window. My little sister Anna, she heard the ticking of stones on our window and opened it. I was so afraid if I went down to see him, she'd tell my parents, but I had to take the risk. So I rushed to the backdoor to meet him. I gave him a huge hug and asked him what was wrong. He led me behind the barn where we could have some privacy. I remember thinking how ridiculous it all was... me standing there in the middle of the night, wearing a nightgown and standing in my bare feet. My father would have flogged me if he found us."

Brian cleared his throat a bit. It appeared difficult to talk about this. "I told her everything, about how I had to quit and help my family. She was much more broken-hearted than I thought... I told her I'd never forget her and she was the best friend I'd ever have... and I kissed her."

"We were both so devastated." Sarah added. "I felt like my life was over... and having lived such a sheltered life, I couldn't comprehend that it wasn't the loss of his world I was mourning... I was in love."

"Were things difficult with your family after Brian left you?" Emily wondered. "Even if they didn't know about him?"

"There was a lot of friction." Sarah replied. "I was arguing with my father a lot. My parents were talking about getting me more involved with the church and the local school in the districts. They said it wasn't healthy to stay cooped up all the time, but I wasn't fooled." She shook her head. "They wanted to marry me off. Most girls my age were already married and, as far as my parents were concerned, no boy had ever shown an interest in me. For three years I kept them at bay, but I eventually gave in. I'd come to terms that it was time to grow up and move on with my life." She lowered her head, her face contorted in pain. "I tried to accept it but it made me sick. Do you have any idea how devastating it is to know your family has your whole life planned out for you? And you don't even get the slightest say?"

Emily held back a scoff as she sat back a bit in her chair. "I'm familiar with that situation." She nodded. "Now, my partner and I learned you were to marry a Jacob Graber?"

She cringed a bit. "My parents forced us to start spending time together. He could sense my reluctance, but there weren't really any girls who were interested in him either, so he pursued me. After six months, he asked my father for my hand. I didn't object, and I doubted my parents would have permitted me to. The wedding was planned for the spring... and then, like a miracle, two weeks before the wedding, Brian came back. Just like before, he tapped pebbles at my window until I woke up... Anna didn't hear him this time." Grinning, she blushed more. "I rushed outside again, wrapping him in my arms like I was dying... I'd missed him so much."

"That's when I told her I loved her." Brian added. "For five years, all I'd thought about was school and her, and now that I was back, I was never going to leave her again. I would do whatever it took for us to be together."

"I started crying," Sarah's voice got quieter as she spoke. "I told him I loved him, too... but it was too late. I'd been baptized a year ago and in my culture, you didn't turn away from something like that. It was unspeakable... and I couldn't break my promise to Jacob Graber, no matter how much I loated the marriage."

"I told her... I understood..." He choked out, seeming heartsick by having to relive this. "I thought it was commendable that she was being an adult and doing what was best for her family. I gave her my address and phone number and told her if she ever needed me... I'd be there for her." Trying to make light over everything, he forced a smile. "And then I picked up my sorry self and drove the hour back to Lancaster, once again thinking I'd never see her again. Frankly, I didn't want to."

"But you ran away the day of your wedding?" Emily questioned, remembering what Ishmael had told her and Morgan. "And you were gone for three days?"

"I ran away..." She shook her head. "Everything was set up for the wedding, I had on my blue dress and everything... and I knew I couldn't do it. When no one was around, I slipped out. I stole one of my neighbor's horses and rode to Pine Clove. Once I was there, I... I called Brian and begged him to come and get me. An hour later, he arrived and drove me to his home. I was so upset and I didn't know what to do."

"Your family didn't know where you were?" Emily wondered.

"I couldn't have contacted them if I wanted to." She said. "I needed time to decide what I wanted... and I knew I wanted Brian. I wanted a life with him... and with blow dryers and escalators and extra cheese pizza." She paused a moment, letting a deep soothing breath, like she was becoming free all over again. "So many people I know feel very free in the Plain life, but I felt trapped. I didn't belong there; I never did."

"As I said, we were going to make a plan to sit down with her family." Brian reminded Emily. "But when Sarah came back and explained she wasn't going to marry Jacob Graber, we didn't stand a chance. The next week, her grandfather approached her and told her, until she repented... she was excommunicated."

"I lived three days in Hell." She added, tears filling her eyes. "My parents wouldn't even look at me, I was forced to have meals at a separate table, I couldn't even shop at Mr. Helberger's store. I rode into town again and called Brian. We made a plan that the next night, when it was dark, he would come and pick me up. I wasn't to tell anyone and we could just... disappear. I'd never have to face that humiliation again."

"Is it possible there were people who looked down on your family because of what you'd done?" She wondered. "Someone who thought your family was impure or was just... angered by them."

Sarah shook her head. "Excommunication doesn't work like that. When someone is shunned, their sins only reflect that one person. It might have only been three days, but you should have seen the sympathy my parents got over such a disgrace."

"You're not a disgrace!" Brian interjected.

"No one said she was." Emily eased, not wanting him to get upset again and perhaps demand they leave. "You can't think of anyone that would hurt them or... want them to leave as well?" She pressed.

"My family has been admired in all the districts for years." She stated. "One bad apple doesn't poison the whole tree as long as it's removed fast enough."

"I see," Emily muttered softly. It was horrible to think how this girl's family had turned on her. Although, Emily had had plenty of similar experience in her life. "Did you talk to your family before you left?"

"No," Brian answered. "She met me behind the barn once again and I rushed her to the road where my car waited."

The way the young girl shifted in her seat, her eyes darting a bit nervously, was a sure sign she was hiding something. Emily sensed there was more there. One that her boyfriend knew nothing about. "Sarah?" She questioned. "Did you speak to anyone in your family?"

Looking to her boyfriend, she shrunk back a bit. "I know you told me not to-"

"Who did you speak to?" He cried. "Your family wouldn't talk to you!"

"Anna!" She said, bursting into tears. "Anna wouldn't listen to their rules. She kept trying to talk to me, sit with me, but I wouldn't give in to her for fear she'd get shunned, too. I couldn't do that to... until I was about to leave."

Tears streaming down her face, she turned back to Emily, sobbing in near hysterics. "I thought she was sleeping, but she saw me packing. She begged me to know where I was going... I couldn't deny her. I was sure I'd never see her again and I had to say goodbye. I told her all about Brian, that we were in love and I was going to be his wife. Anna begged me not to go, but I told her I had to. It was best for me... I needed to be happy. And my only regret was that I was leaving her. Anna hugged me tightly, crying in my apron. I gave her Brian's number, just as he did for me, and told her if she ever needed me, to call me. If I moved, I would make sure I contacted her. I swore to her that even though I had to leave, I would never be gone. I would always be a part of her life. It would get easier when she was older, but for now, we'd have to be separated..." She lowered her head, crying harder. "That was the last time I ever saw her."

Brian pulled her close, letting her bawl on his shoulder. He tried to comfort her, but a pain like this was too great for anyone to bear.

Emily debated whether or not it was a good idea, but Sarah deserved to know. Sometimes, all a person needed was a little hope. Taking a deep breath, hoping this was not the wrong thing to do, she called to her.

"Sarah, you should know that... Anna's body was not found in your house."

Sitting up, her blood shot eyes looked to the older woman, unsure what to say. "What?"

"We haven't been allowed in your family's home, we haven't been given permission. But a local family did take pictures of the crime scenes for us... Anna's room was empty. The bodies of the rest of your family were taken out, but Anna's wasn't there. Considering the limited amount of blood on her mattress... there is a chance your sister might still be alive."

Stunned, Sarah was speechless for several moments. Brian spoke for her once again. "Is there any trace of her? Any clue to where they might have taken her?"

"We don't have anything yet." Emily shook her head. "If we could get into the crime scene, we might be able to find a lot, but we can't get permission to investigate. And the longer the wait, the less the evidence will be viable."

"Well," Brian turned to Sarah with intrigue, "maybe there's something you can do! To convince them to let the agents help."

She glared at him. "I was shunned, Brian. Remember?"

"No, that's an idea." Emily leaned on the table. "You wouldn't have to speak to them directly, but if we had you there... we might be able to figure out a way for the two groups to communicate better. Would you be willing to come to the Pine Clove Police Department tomorrow?"

"I..." The obvious thought of facing her old community again bothered her... and something else. As if she were fearing someone specific. Perhaps Jacob Graber. "I don't know."

"It could mean finding your sister. Alive." Emily pointed out. "And, if Anna doesn't have any family left... she'll need her sister."

That was the key. Her face suddenly filled with a dream like longing, her tears slowing. "Alright," She agreed. "I'll go."

* * *

Emily came out a moment later as Mrs. Rosenplatt was gathering up the tea she'd made. "Oh," She exclaimed when she spotted the third agent. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes," Emily replied. Meeting Rossi's eyes, he knew she had a lot more to say that wasn't for outsiders' ears. "We'll be through here in just a moment."

"Can I get you agents anything else?" She asked graciously.

"No, thank you." Rossi said kindly as he stood, adjusting his jacket. "We can't thank you enough for your hospitality, ma'am, you've been very kind."

"It's not every day we have federal agents in our town." She indicated. "Truthfully, though, Sarah's become part of the family to us... we'd do anything for her."

Kindly, Rossi nodded. "We'll be leaving in just a moment."

Mrs. Rosenplatt understood, taking the tray of tea and cups back to the kitchen, where she'd no doubt go to help tend to the grieving girl. At last, the two were alone. Stepping closer, Rossi questioned, "What did you find out?"

"Not much," She answered mournfully. "Sarah's been gone for almost a year, and she did not leave her family on good terms. JJ was right, she was excommunicated."

"So we know little about her family," Rossi concluded. "And, considering these murders only took place in the course of a month, the unsub probably wasn't stalking them for too long, there's little chance she knows who he is."

"There is some good news." Emily answered. "Sarah agreed to come with us to Pine Clove tomorrow. She's going to help us find a way to relate to the bishops. Maybe, with some of her techniques, we might be able to convince them."

"I hate to say it, but I doubt it." Rossi stated. "This isn't like making friends with a tribe that doesn't speak English. If they bishops know we went to an excommunicated girl for help, they might despise us even more."

"Maybe," Emily hissed, "but it's the only plan we've got. How else are we going to talk to them?"

As if in answer to their question, the front door opened, startling both of them. Rossi had forgotten that Hotch had stepped out. Emily stared at him curiously, wondering what was so serious, it had drawn him away.

"How did it go?" Hotch questioned.

"Sarah's going to help us with the case." Emily admitted. "It might not be much, but it's something."

"I've got something else." Hotch said, and there was a certain elation in his voice. He turned to Rossi to explain. "That was Reid that just called me... this afternoon, I asked him if he'd be willing to join us on this one last case."

"He agreed?" Emily asked, astounded.

Hotch shook his head, "Not at first, but... I have a feeling he wanted to come and talked to Riley about it. He's expecting the jet in the morning. I told him if the case isn't closed by Friday, he should go home, so we only have him until then."

It wasn't much, but one former Amish girl and an all too experienced profiler was more leverage than they had a few hours ago. Hopefully, tomorrow would be much more promising than today.

* * *

_"Mm," Reid mumbled in his sleep, snuggling closer to his pillow. He was so comfortable here. The bed was so soft and cozy, the layers of blankets kept him so warm, and the pillows were like sleeping on a cloud. He hadn't been this comfortable in months. Finally, he was going to get a good night's sleep, and be well rested to dive into the case tomorrow._

_One thing could make this perfect, however, and she was laying right beside him. Without opening his eyes, Reid reached into the unknown, moving his body further and further into the bed, searching for the familiar, supple body of his one true love._

_His mind couldn't register at first when the blankets suddenly became cool. They weren't just cool... they were wet... sloppy wet, like someone had spilled a gallon of liquid. It was sticky and thick, spreading between his fingers, smudging along his skin._

_With a gasp, Reid opened his eyes. Riley was still sleeping. Her eyes were closed with the blankets pulled over her engorged body, sleeping serenely. He couldn't believe it. Her water must have broken ages ago and they hadn't even realized. But that wasn't important. Nothing was important now except what was at hand. He was going to be a father._

_"Riley!" Reid cried into the darkness, climbing out of bed. "Riley, wake up! It's time! The baby's coming!"_

_He was speaking rather loudly, unable to contain his excitement, but she didn't move. Not an inch. Something was wrong. She never sleep this deeply anymore... and if she were having contractions, it would be nearly impossible for her to rest. This wasn't right._

_With one leg over the side, Reid reached for his lamp to turn on the light. It flooded the room as bright as morning, revealing all truth before him. __Reid turned to his sleeping wife, but she hadn't moved. She lay, flat on her back, her stomach rounded high in the air. Her eyes were closed without a twitch or movement behind them... her body didn't even move for a breath._

___He was about to make a step toward her when he noticed the wave of his messy had. Looking to it, he saw an all too familiar bright red substance. Sticky and smelling strongly of iron. __His heart began to pound. In a panic, he rushed over to whip back the sheets, seeing the massacre before him._

_"No!" Reid screamed as he backed away, unable to believe his own eyes. Riley's legs were covered with blood, it soaked into the sheets and into the hem of her nightgown, beginning to rise over her rounded belly. The rest of her skin was pale and obviously cold. She was dead... she'd bled to death right beside her husband, her own body suffocating her child. And all the while, he was sleeping peacefully._

_"No..." Reid stammered, dropping to his knees. Tears spilled down his face, disgusted with himself. He buried his face in his arms as he sobbed and sobbed, knowing he had just laid there without a thought while his family died, just as a coward would._

Reid snapped himself awake, gasping for much needed breath. The room was dark, with nothing but the dim street lamp down the block to give him any sight. The room was calm and quiet, without a sign any of the horrors he'd just seen were real.

He could have reached under the covers for her, but Reid was too scared he'd discover what had felt so real just moments ago. Sitting up, he reached over to turn on his lamp, immediately turning beside him.

Riley was fast asleep, turned partly on her side, towards him. One arm was propped under her pillow, with her mounds of curls spread over it like the waves of a blackened ocean. Her other hand rested protectively on her stomach, the covers tucked under her arm. His heart beat eased down as he watched her breathing easily. In and out, slowly and calmly, without a worry in the world.

He would have liked to have woken her, just to be sure she was alright, but chances were she'd never get back to sleep again. She needed all the rest she could get. Everything was fine now, anyway. He allowed himself to calm down a moment before he switched off the light again. The bedroom was dark once more, just as he hated. Crawling back under the covers, he inched himself closer to her, careful not to wake her.

The bed was soft and warm throughout. Gently, he wrapped his arm around her body. At his touch, she instinctively moved closer to him, snuggling as close to her husband as possibly. Her head rested just beside his shoulder. So close, he could breathe in the scent of roses that for so many years now soothed him like a drug. As she let out contented sigh at being held so close, he kissed the top of her head. He was tired, but he refused to let himself sleep another minute tonight, too afraid of the images that would haunt him. Again.


	12. Running Out of Time

Reid clutched Riley's hand tightly as the rode up in the elevator the next morning, his go bag slung over his opposing shoulder. His mind had never felt so foggy and slow. Normally, he wouldn't drink coffee around his wife. Just the sweet aroma was torture to her. He needed it too badly this morning. Without the caffeine, he wouldn't be able to stand upright.

"You look so tired," Riley said.

"Hmm?" He muttered, looking over to her. Her voice was so soft and distant, like she were talking to him through a wall. It took him a moment to respond. "Oh... I didn't sleep well last night."

"You haven't been sleeping well for a while, Sweetheart. Maybe you should call Hotch," She suggested kindly. "Tell him you'll fly in this afternoon, that way you can go home and get a few hours rest, you need your strength."

Just the thought of this new, horrible nightmare made him never want to sleep again. Even in the bright light of day. He still wasn't sure if these visions were due to fear or if facts of the case had worked their way into his subconscious. It wouldn't have been the first time... but did it mean something? His dreams often were warnings or clues before, why was he ignoring them now? What if his wife and child were in danger, something that should be blatantly obvious, yet he couldn't see it? And when he left them today, would he ever see them again?

Not to mention, Reid had had a fear for over six months now. One he'd never been able to cure himself of. It made sense after the accident, but now, there was no reason for it. Yet, it still haunted him. That he would never see this baby born.

"I'm fine," He reassured her with a convincing smile. "I'll rest on the plane and I'll try to turn in early tonight, don't worry. I didn't keep you awake, did I?"

He was very grateful; Riley had slept almost the entire night, with the exception of a few trips to the bathroom. It was something she hadn't done for a while. She beamed brightly, shaking her head.

"No, I slept..." She giggled a bit as she caressed her stomach, "like a baby. I forgot how good a full night's rest could feel. I haven't had this much energy since my sixth month."

For some reason, that made Reid nervous, but he couldn't think why. After all, if he were leaving her for a few days, what he needed more than anything was to know Riley had the strength to take care of herself. This energy should be a blessing.

"Good," He said softly. His hand reached over, rubbing her bump lovingly. "And how's our girl today?"

"Lively, as always." She laughed, "She never sits still. I swear, she's going to be an Olympic swimmer someday."

He snickered, feeling all the flutters and thumps from within. Riley watched him carefully as he stared down at her stomach, covered by her navy cardigan. He didn't need to say a word for her to know what he was thinking, she could read him faster than any book placed before him.

Taking his hand off her belly, she held it warmly in hers and announced, "We're going to be fine. You don't need to worry."

"What if you need something?" He asked, looking up, a slight restrained panic glowed in his hazel eyes. "What if the baby gets in trouble or you start having complications? And then I'm not here!"

"Spencer, please stop!" She begged. "You have to understand, the baby is fine! I'm fine, everything is okay!"

"Things can still happen!" He argued back. "You could get hurt, the baby could suddenly tangle herself in the umbilical cord or the placenta could tear-"

"Don't you think I have every scary thought run through my head when you leave me?" She asserted. "It wouldn't be the first time you were taken hostage, or maybe something worse like the plane crashes or you're shoved out a window..." She closed her eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath and stop herself from crying. She already had a fit this morning when she almost put on a mismatched pair of shoes. "I saw you shot before my eyes once, what's to stop that from happening again?"

He let out a groan, his hair falling around his eyes. That was different. She was able to sleep through the night without nightmares plaguing her. He shuddered a bit as she brushed his cheek, bringing his gaze back to hers.

"I'm just saying we're okay. Bad things happen. Bad things happen to people who have never seen a bad thing in their lives, and bad things have certainly happened to us, but you can't spend every second thinking about them, otherwise it's going to drive you crazy." She gave him a pointed glared as she mentioned. "That's exactly why you didn't sleep at all last night, correct?"

He looked stunned. "What makes you think I was up all night?"

"Spencer, I always have to go the bathroom at least three times." She answered. "You pretended so I wouldn't notice, but there's more to REM sleep than a pair of closed eyes and heavy breathing."

"I guess I shouldn't try to fool a psychiatrist." He mumbled.

"I'm your wife," she corrected with a smile. "Believe me... I've spent more than a few hours watching you sleep over the years."

"Is that a fact?" He asked, unable to keep from smirking.

With a chortle, she reached up to brush her lips on his. "You're awfully cute when you're dreaming, especially when you wrinkle your nose."

Her lips barely pressed to his, teasing him with the slightest kiss. She could still drive him crazy, even eight months pregnant.

"You look very cute in those glasses, by the way." He grinned widely.

She smiled and giggled as they met again, kissing tenderly. As Riley's hand slid up into his hair, Reid's hand instinctively landed on her bump, feeling their baby move from within. For just a moment, he forgot about his fears and worries and just let himself be in the moment. It never lasted long... but that's what made each one so damn good.

"Careful, you two." A voice cried out, enthused. "You know you can set off preterm labor that way."

They hadn't even noticed the elevator opened to the sixth floor. Garcia had been waiting for them to arrive, catching their romantic scene on the rising car. Their kiss parted unexpectedly as Reid turned to immediately respond.

"As is many of the common beliefs of pregnancy and childbirth, that's simple folklore." He said, wrapping his arms around his wife protectively as she took the opportunity to rest her head on his shoulder. "Sex has never been proven to induce labor, and even if it did, it's suggested in late term pregnancy. Riley's only at 37 weeks."

"Well, thank you Dr. Spock! And I'm referring to the pediatrician, not the Vulcan! I don't need a three hour lecture from you on the Star Trek misconceptions." She replied.

The two stepped off the elevator, heading down the corridor towards Garcia's office, who was not done with her ranting. "I can't believe you're going to Pennsylvania, Reid. I realize most people can't take the intensity of my lair, but you're no picnic, either, young man! Staining all my papers with your astronomical cups of coffee."

"Garcia, you don't know sacrifice until you share a bathroom with this man." Riley teased, giving him a loving glare.

"First of all!" Reid interrupted, glancing at Riley, "I'm not the one who leaves my dirty clothes on the floor and wet towels on the bed. Secondly," He looked back to Garcia. "I'd rather be at home, believe me, but you know as well as the others that my abilities are much better use there than here."

"I hate to say it, but on this case, you're right." She responded, folding her arms over the folder she'd been cradling since they arrived. "Hopefully things will go a lot more smoothly next time."

"I'm sure it will. This case is once in a lifetime." He stated. "Have you heard from them this morning?"

"Yes and they're happy as clams about you're arrival. Don't ask me what's so happy about a clam to form such an analogy. You'd think the saying would be as happy as a clown fish or something." He gave her a slight pleading expression, causing her to pause. "But I digress. Rossi called about an hour ago, he and Emily are going to meet you at the Lancaster Airport when you arrive. I already heard from the pilot, the plane is just about ready to go, it's waiting on the strip." At last, she handed over the folder which was extremely thick. "While averting my eyes as much as possible, I gathered up the rest of the grotesque photos along with the profile you created yesterday. You're all set to head up North."

Reid took the pile gratefully. "Thank you."

"And, on a more personal note, you can count on me to be on Baby Duty." She said kindly. "If Riley needs anything, I'll be happy to pick up your slack while you're away. She and the little one are in good hands."

"Really?" Reid asked, a bit skeptical. "Even if it's three o'clock in the morning and all she wants is ice cream?"

She heaved a fake sigh, "I suppose. It'll be kind of hard to get Kevin out of bed at that hour, but I'll manage it. Somehow."

"What are husbands for." Riley interjected, making both the girls laugh.

Reid felt slightly elated at that. He knew it wouldn't last long and savored it for a moment, breathing easily. "Well, I don't like the idea of leaving, but I feel better knowing you're watching her."

"No, problem," She said, patting his shoulder. "Now, the plane's probably ready by now, you'd better get a move on. The sooner you go, the sooner this case is solved and you're back here at Mommy Central."

He couldn't have been more grateful for that. But now there was the still the matter of goodbye.

Garcia stood back as the couple stood together. She knew she should give them some privacy, but they were too cute to ignore. Two young people who loved it each other more than anything, about to have a baby. Even when they left each other for a few days, it always seemed like they were parting for a lifetime.

Stepping closer, Reid turned to his wife, gazing deeply into her dark framed eyes. The eyes he'd searched for in the cold darkness, that he'd found all the love and truth and strength he could ever possibly need. As badly as they were to look into when they parted, he always knew they would be there when they found his again, filled with the greatest joy.

"I've got to ask one more time." He said slowly. "Are you sure you'll be alright?"

"I'll be fine," Riley insisted. "You go and save the world, yet again."

"No," He uttered, dropping his bag and pulled her into his arms. "You are my world. Both of you."

Riley's arms wrapped around him, clutching him back. He knew he had to go, he didn't have much time, but he just couldn't yet. He was so afraid once he did... he'd lose her. It was irrational and improbable, but he didn't care. He squeezed her as tight as possible, as if hanging on to his very life. In a way... he was.

"Call me today," His muffled voice said into her curls.

"I will," She promised, her hand running into his sloven hair.

"A lot," He pressed, holding her so tight, he could feel the baby kick against his own stomach. He gloated in the gentle scratch of Riley's fingernails on his scalp. Leaning over, his one hand brushing her tendrils aside, he pressed a kiss to the arch of her shoulder, right against her perfumed skin.

She wanted to let him hold her as long as he wanted, but she couldn't take it anymore. Riley let out a hushed moan, attempting to shift her position for some relief.

"What is it?" Reid cried as he pulled away, looking her up and down. He hadn't even left yet and already something was wrong.

She pulled away from him, desperate to run down the hall. Or waddle, more like. "Nothing... I'm fine."

She went to walk away, but Reid blocked her, refusing to let her pass. "No, what is it? What do you need? Are you in pain? Should I call for help?"

"No, no, I'm fine, it's just," She maneuvered herself around him, resisting the urge to shove him in order to hurry away, "when you held me, you pushed the baby into my bladder and now I really have to pee!"

Reid grimaced, remorseful. "I'm sorry!" He called. "I love you!"

"I love you, too!" She yelled back, rushing into the Ladies' Room, at last out of sight.

Time waited for no one. It was passing Reid by and he needed to get down to the jet. He stood there a moment longer, staring after her. As soon as he looked away, he knew he had to go.

"Garcia," he spoke slowly.

"Like a hawk, Papa Bear." She replied, giving his arm another loving pat. "Now go."

With glistening eyes, he looked to his friend. He might hate to leave Riley, but knew she'd be safe under the caring and watchful eye of Penelope Garcia. He gave a smile and a nod. He picked up his go bag and headed back to the elevator. He waited less then a few seconds before it slid open and he stepped in. They closed once again and he was officially on his way.

* * *

"I've spent so much of my life in this little town," Sarah announced the next morning as they marched up the salted steps of the precinct. "but I know so little about it. I've never once been inside the police station."

Hotch had returned by himself the next morning, escorting Brian Rosenplatt and Sarah Lambright to Pine Clove. After last night's snow, the town had been transformed into a picturesque winter wonderland, like the horrors in the not so distant hills had never occurred.

"Is there anyone in the town who possibly knew your family?" Hotch asked as he held opened the door for the two young people. "Even if it was just in passing? Perhaps they would still be inclined to talk to you."

"I suppose so, my family is very well known around here, but I don't see how that can help you." Sarah answered.

Hotch could only reply, "It's complicated to think how one minor connection can lead us in the right direction. My team and I can help you make a list, if that would be more helpful."

Eyeing the older agent carefully, Brian waited until they were safely inside. He knew more about how the modern world worked than his girlfriend and had a sneaking suspicion. He stepped back a bit from Sarah, lowering his voice to speak to the agent.

"Do you think a friend of Sarah's family could have something to do with their deaths?" He wondered.

He knew he could speak more candidly to this man. Taking a quick glance at the back of Sarah's head to make sure she was distracted, he said softly. "More likely than not, especially if they had connections to the other families. We doubt they were chosen at random."

His eyes bulged a bit as he shook his head. "This is too intense, man. Sarah can't know about this stuff, she's still so innocent."

"We're going to keep her involvement to a minimum." He assured. "Mainly, we just need her help in speaking to the bishops. In the name of what's happened, they may forgo the rules of her shunning for the time being."

"Well, I don't like the idea of her being here." Brian made known, wanting to shout his protest from the rooftops. "I'm giving you one day to get what you need from her and then I'm taking her home."

One day was all they needed. If they weren't allowed to investigate after that, their only opportunity would be when the death toll rose, and who knew how high.

"You seem rather determined about that." Hotch said with his famous stern tone. "Is there a reason why you want to keep Sarah out of this investigation?"

For a moment, he thought he saw a flicker of fear. "Yeah, it's gruesome and horrifying. It could scar Sarah for life, I won't subject the woman I love to that."

"What are you guys talking about?" Sarah questioned when she at last noticed they were in a private discussion.

"Nothing!" Brian cried with a much too false smile. He looked to Agent Hotchner as he put his arm around her once again. "Where should we start, sir?"

Sarah wasn't going to be much help to them unless she had a chance to speak freely. They'd have to speak to her alone. And, at the same time, they could give Brian a question or two.

The conference room had been arranged perfectly for the morning. They'd moved the evidence board out for the time being, wanting to keep them from civilians eyes. It was busier than Hotch had expected, having not heard there would be more than JJ and Morgan present. Indeed, the captain also sat at the large table, joined by the three bishops themselves.

Hotch was shocked at the sight of this, like he were being excluded from his own investigation.

"Hey," He said as JJ stood, going over to greet them. "What's going on?"

"Lemont's making another attempt at speaking to the bishops." She whispered.

"Oh, good!" Captain Lemont cried, spotting the new arrivals. "Agent Hotchner's returned from Lancaster. The rest of your team will be joining us shortly, I assume?"

A screech stopped Hotch from answering at once, and all subsequent noise in the area. Bishop Yoder had pushed out his chair, glaring angrily at the group. Hotch was certain it had to be over their decision to stay.

"Bishop Yoder," He said, stepping closer. "I understand you're still upset by our presence here, but please allow us to explain ourselves-"

His words faded, noticing the bishop's eyes didn't follow him. They went past the unit chief, landing on none other than Sarah herself. Meanwhile, the other two men watched the scene cautiously, knowing exactly what was going on, but too nervous to say.

All three agents and Captain Lemont averted their eyes to the young girl, who stared right back at the old man. Her eyes welled with tears as she stared him down, as if too afraid to speak.

For a long moment, it was a show down. Every cop and agent and civilian waited for one of them to speak. Something... anything...

It never happened. Without a syllable, Bishop Yoder turned and stormed from the room, knocking his chair so forcefully, it fell back. Sarah gasped and hung her head, trying to hold back tears.

"This isn't going to work," Bishop Berkley said as he and Bishop Hooley stood as well. "You have a very difficult line of work, sir. One that doesn't offer much reward, and that's commendable, but it is a work that belongs in your world. We would like to bury our dead and move on from this tragedy. Dragging it out like this only keeps the wounds alive. We are asking again... please leave."

The two men slowly walked out after Bishop Yoder. Lemont buried her face in her hands, despondent her plan hadn't worked and unsure how to move on from here.

"I knew it was a mistake to come here." Sarah choked slightly. "I want to go home."

With that, she rushed from the room and out into the corridor. Brian shot Hotch a superior, knowing look before following, leaving the four alone.

JJ watched the two hurry off, sensing something. Morgan joined the group and she lowered her voice to mutter "That was odd."

Hotch, however, decided not to pay mind to the her unexpected behavior. He walked over to the captain as she got out of her seat, looking greatly exasperated. Things had not gone as she had hoped.

"I thought when I talked to you this morning, we were both in agreement that no one would speak to the bishops until we returned." Hotch asserted.

Lemont looked to him, feeling no blame for what she had done. "Yes, we did... but then I got to thinking that the bishops know me better than any of you. If I could vouch for you when you weren't around, they might be more likely to at least give me and my detectives more privileges in their community."

"If that's the case and you could handle this yourself, you could have done it without inviting us here, ma'am." Morgan interjected.

"Morgan," Hotch called as a warning. He turned back to the woman, continuing his statement. "They're even more resistant now, how do you expect to get their permission when already twice, they've asked us to leave?"

Lemont narrowed her eyes. "I'm sorry I've upset you, Agent Hotchner, but as you can see, I've never dealt with a case like this before. The majority of my career has been handling misdemeanors and mediating disputes. I did as I saw fit."

Hotch was about to retaliate, but Lemont could see she had crossed the line. "But... I did ask for you and your team to handle this. I promise, I won't overstep my boundaries again."

"This is still your case," Hotch corrected. "But, with all due respect, Captain, we're experts. We handle dozens of cases like this every year. If we're going to catch this killer - especially without anymore bloodshed - it's best you and the detectives heed our advice."

She conceded at once, bringing this reprimand to an end. "Understood. I'll converse with my detectives so they're all on the same page."

With that, she rushed out the door into the main squad room. She was obviously embarrassed, but as she had said, she and the rest of the police had never handled anything so extreme before. It was the sole reason for calling in the BAU.

"Now what do we do?" Morgan wondered. "Lemont might have burned the bridge to getting the bishops permission. Without it, we've got nothing."

"No," said Hotch. "We still have Sarah. We know now there's no chance they'll talk to her, but I think we can learn a lot from her."

JJ wondered. "What should we do?"

"I want you to talk to her." He ordered. "Alone. I don't want her boyfriend anywhere near that discussion."

Morgan was too curious not to ask. "You don't think he had something to do with all this, do you?"

He explained. "I want her alone because he's a strong influence on her. There's nothing to suggest he's guilty in any way... but he would have a grudge against all these people, especially if they all knew her family."

"If that's the case, the Lambrights would be his last victims." JJ voiced.

"And why Anna's missing." Hotch added. "Sarah loved her so much, he thought maybe he could just fake her death and keep her alive until the time was right to reunite them. But we're jumping to conclusions, we'll interview them after we talk with the others."

"And the bishops?" Morgan wondered. "Maybe we'll find something through these two kids, but we still need to get into that crime scene, and we're running out of time if any of that evidence is going to be viable."

"I'm aware of that, Morgan." He declared. They were indeed running out of time, in every sense of the word.

* * *

After leaving the restroom, Riley headed back down the corridor. Her sessions weren't until this afternoon, but she did have a meeting with Dr. Redmond to finish briefing him on the patients he'd be taking over during her leave. There was time, though, and right now there were more important things to focus on this morning. Hopefully, some light could be shined on the subject.

"Garcia," Riley asked as she knocked on the door of her office. It stood open slightly ajar, a sign its occupant wasn't inside. She liked her privacy and kept herself closed within when she was present. Still, Riley poked her head in, looking around. Upon finding she was alone, the young therapist pushed her way in. Her friend would be back soon.

The room was always dark and a bit cooler than Riley normally liked. Lately, though, the hormones kept her overheated most of the time, and the lower temperature felt nice. The computers were alive and active, no doubt working on the latest much needed searches the team was waiting for. Even the little Spencer had told her about this case was almost too much to stand, thinking of those poor families attacked at their most vulnerable. Spencer was most affected by the young female victim and Riley understood more than ever. Now that she'd accepted her baby was a girl... it broke her heart to think of someone hurting her daughter. For a woman who had never been more offensive than a slap against her lover's cheek, she would kill to keep a harmful foe away from her child.

The room was quiet, and took the spare chair behind Garcia's. She eased herself down carefully, sighing happily as the curve arched into her. Being on her feet even this long was too much, the small of her back already tight and sore. It was going to be a long day. She had the most energy she'd had all trimester, but there wasn't a chance she could do more than sit if this pain kept up.

Something soft and fluffy was poking out of the arm of Garcia's chair. That was curious and Riley couldn't resist inching closer to look. Spiraling it slightly, she found an object had been gracefully slung into the seat, left behind until her return. It was a fabric, almost a foot long, hanging off a strange pair of knitting needles connected by a wire.

Riley gasped as she got a better view of the fabric. Three different types of delicate yarn woven together, a blushing pink followed by a deeper one and another that blended from pink to green to white. They blended together in an elegant rippled pattern. It was so gentle against her skin, perfect to wrap even the most fragile of flesh in.

As she was looking, a sharp inhale came from the doorway. Riley whipped around to look, seeing she'd been caught by none other than the lady of the office, Penelope Garcia.

"Riley!" She squeaked, hurrying over. "I didn't know you were staying."

"Yeah, I wanted to talk to you." She informed, fingering the swatch of cloth lightly, watching the stitches bounce back. "This is beautiful."

"Thank you," She all but snapped, taking the project away at once. "I'm sorry, milady, but you're pretty little eyes weren't supposed to see this yet."

"You're kidding!" Riley cried, smiling. "That's for me?"

There was no point in hiding it now. "No, technically..." she whined, glancing back slowly. "It's... for your baby... it's not done yet, though."

"It's gorgeous!" She exclaimed, thrilled. "You're so talented, I wish I could do that."

"Thank you..." She said again. "I was saving it for after the baby was born. Reid's going to kill me, he made me swore you wouldn't find out!"

Riley laughed. "Pen, don't worry, it's okay. I know it's a girl."

She gaped at her friend. "You do?"

"Yeah," Riley nodded. "Spencer told me last night."

Her worry instantly melted into ecstatic joy. "You're joking!" She squealed, her eyes filled with joy and excitement, like a teenage girl who just heard the juiciest piece of gossip. "I was so excited when I found out, I'm so happy you're having a girl and I just wanted to blab about it to everyone. Was it a big surprise or... did you kind of have a feeling?"

Riley didn't even know how to respond to that. She'd never not wanted a girl, she just knew a boy would have been easier. And that made her feel ashamed, like already she was rejecting her child, leading them down a life long rocky road of fights and broken dishes, leading to brokenhearted estrangement.

"Actually, I uh, don't have much time. Maybe we could talk about this later." Riley insisted with a hopefully smile and a tilt of her head. "I just wanted to know if... you found anything for me?"

Just as quickly as her bothered expression became happy, so it shifted back again. Instantaneous worry filled her heart, so deep and so painful, worse than the heartburn brought on by her scrambled eggs this morning. One of the few things she managed to make properly over her two years of marriage.

"First of all," Garcia began, "you know I don't give up on things easily. I may not have found much of anything, but I'm not done looking. I promise, I'm going to broaden out my perimeters and I will search far and high, wide and low to track down any guy who so much as threatens a member of my family!"

She appreciated that, but it didn't fill her with much hope. "Did you find anything?"

"Only that the number you gave me connected me to a diner in Vancouver." She explained.

"Canada?" Riley exclaimed, stunned. "I don't even know anyone in Canada!"

"Does your hubby?" Garcia wondered.

She wasn't going to pretend she knew everything about her husband. The only person one could know everything about was himself. Still, odds were, if there was someone important to Spencer in Canada, he would have said something by now. And an important person, Riley would remember.

"I don't think so." She answered. "Unfortunately, I have no way to ask without him getting suspicious. It's not like I can lie to him to get what I want."

Garcia had an idea. "Well, maybe I can find out!"

"You asking is going to sound even more strange!" Riley answered, distraught. Her heart beat sped up which in turn made the baby kick more. She always seemed to get agitated when Riley was upset. Immediately, she took the time to breathe slowly, her hand urgently rubbing her stomach to calm her daughter down.

"It's okay!" Garcia announced. "I don't have to ask him. I can't promise, but maybe I can look back through some of Reid's significant history, see if there's anyone who's crossed the border to the Great White North, maybe even who has family there."

That was a comforting thought. At least it was something to go on. "You could do the same to my history, too. At least this way, I don't have to worry Spencer just yet." She shook her head, definitely hating her decision to let him go.

Sensing this, Garcia gently brushed her arm. "You know, Sweetie, it's not exactly the Hilton, but Kevin and I have a futon in our spare bedroom. We'd love to have a house guest."

With a light laugh, Riley pulled her slumping body slightly out of the chair, preparing herself for the big lift off. "I can't tell you what that means to me, Penelope, but... I don't think my back can take a night on the futon."

"Well, I'll stick Kevin in there, then!" She beamed brightly.

"Don't make me laugh, my bladder's not what it used to be." She chuckled, feeling slightly better. "But, really, I think I'm okay. I don't like being alone, but... I'm not going to let the threat of someone scare me out of my house." She brushed down her cardigan covered belly. "We'll be okay."

Garcia wasn't so sure. "Why don't you at least come over for dinner. You might decide you want to stay."

She didn't want her friend to think she was blowing her off, but there were more important matters at hand. "I'll take a rain check. Maybe tomorrow, Sweetie. Tonight, I have too much work to do."

"Really?" Garcia said interested. Noticing Riley's struggle to stand up, she offered her hand to the girl. "Pray tell?"

"It's just the house." At last, mustering her strength and clutching tightly to Garcia's grip, she got to her feet. "I don't know, but it seems no matter how much I clean, I can't get that place ready for the baby. I woke up this morning determined to scrub the place top to bottom."

"Don't overexert yourself, Mama Bear." Garcia warned as the expectant mother headed to the door. "If you get hurt while Reid's away, he'd kill me. And he's a genius! They'll never find my body but suddenly, that dream house of yours will have the prettiest roses on the block!"

With another laugh, Riley picked up her bag from the door, giving her one last look. "I'll call you later, let me know if you find anything."

"Will do, Angel Fish!" Was the last thing Riley heard before she closed her high spirited friend inside.

She headed off to work, sticking true to her word. There wasn't even proof this person had any intentions besides reaching out to her, if even that. And if he did... well, life wasn't about her anymore. She might be alone, but she was brave enough to protect her child, if need be.

* * *

Rossi pulled into a spot in the tiny parking lot outside the police station just before noon. The snow had littered the place, with many of the streets and sidewalks still covered in white. It made the town look even more desolate, with most of the inhabitants remaining in doors, even in the middle of the business day.

"I think this place might be worse than that village in Alaska from last year." Rossi grumbled as the three clamored out of the car. The temperature was so bitter out here, he was eager to get his old body in from the cold.

"Let's just hope the accommodations are better." Emily slammed her door closed. "Half of us had to sleep in the sitting room on cots because the inn only had three rooms. Not that the motel from last night was much better."

"What do you expect on the government's dime?" Rossi questioned.

Mindful of the snow, she guided her way onto the sidewalk beside the old man, who waited for his fellow teammates before going inside. They were just about to head up the steps when Emily looked back, realizing they were one short.

"Reid," Emily called. "Are you coming?"

His head snapped up at once, taken by surprise. He had paused halfway getting out of the car, his arm leaning on the open door while he stared down at the screen of his phone.

"Uh," He stammered, remembering where he was. "Yeah, sorry."

"Are you sure you're with us, kiddo?" Rossi asked with caution and regard.

"Of course, I am," Reid muttered as he combated with the mounds of snow, trying not to fall over in the whoosh of winter wind. While the precinct had cleared off the walk and the steps, they hadn't bothered the touch the parking lot. "I wouldn't have come if I weren't prepared to devote my full attention to this."

"Really?" Rossi skeptically inquired with the raise of an eyebrow. "Is that why you've been staring at your phone since we picked you up at the airport?"

"That's true," Emily noticed. "For someone who avoids technology like the plague, you've been glued to that thing like a regular teenager."

"I have not!" He argued. "I just... thought Riley might call, that's all."

Rossi couldn't help but ask. "She was okay with you leaving, wasn't she? I mean, this didn't cause a big fight, did it?"

"No, actually, she's the one who told me I should go." He at last put the rectangular device in the pocket of his coat, unable to release it from his death grip. "I'm not very happy leaving my expectant wife, but... she was right, my expertise is better use in the thick of the investigation. This isn't a time to be on the sidelines."

"For the record," Emily said, giving a brush to his arm. "We're really grateful you're here."

"Yeah, it's too quiet without you." Rossi teased with a smile. "Call me crazy, but I think I'm finding those little quirks and comments of yours endearing."

Reid rolled his eyes. "Alright, rather than draw out this discussion, can we go inside before the first stage of frostbite sets in? Judging by the temperature and the wind chill, I'd say we have less than a minute before superficial damage is done, which isn't permanent, but it is painful."

"There it is, that's our boy." Rossi pointed out, as if all was right with the world. Reid did not find it amusing, even less so as he saw Emily try not to laugh.

Coming in from the bitter cold to the warm lobby of the police station was like stepping onto white sand of a tropical island. They kicked and stomped their feet on the mat to kick the flakes away. Reid was regretting his decision to wear his usual Converse sneakers. The snow had soaked through the fabric, right into his mismatched socks and down to his bare feet. It was sure to chill his body within the hour, but right now, it was the least of his worries.

Judging by the size of the station, Reid knew this place was not the kind of facility to have the proper training for a case like this. Murder must be more of a campfire legend than an actual problem in this town. Through the squad room, Emily and Rossi directed him to the conference room, enclosed by shaky walls that could be unhooked and rolled away at a moment's request.

"Well, well," Morgan said with a smile as he leaned back in his chair, taking in the sight of their team's youngest member. "Look what the cat dragged in."

He was seated with Hotch and JJ, who both looked up anxiously as they arrived. Reid was a bit surprised at how good he felt when he walked in. Maybe he wasn't happy to leave Riley, but something was telling him right now, this was where he belonged.

"I think I speak for everyone when I say we're happy to see you." JJ told him with delight. "How are you doing, Spence?"

He wasn't sure how to respond to that. His head was a mix of emotions and he needed to clear every single one out if he was going to focus.

"I'm okay," seemed the safest answer, giving a half smile. He took a seat next to Emily, setting his bag in the empty chair beside him. "You guys didn't miss me that much, did you?"

"Frankly, I think we would have been struggling just as much today if you'd flown in with us." Rossi explained. "But it's nice to have all hands on deck now."

"So what are we doing?" Reid asked. There was no point in the pleasantries, they needed to get started if they were ever going to move forward. "Are there any developments?"

"Not much," Hotch explained. "We found Sarah Lambright, as you know, and she's agreed to come and try to help us talk to members of her community."

"That's not going to be easy." JJ insisted. "No one is going to risk being shunned as well by communicating with her her and no one will be happy that we've brought her along."

"It is odd this is a tactic of their culture." Emily spoke up. "I mean, for a group of people who preach forgiveness, you'd think they'd be able to forgive Sarah for leaving."

Reid launched in at once to explain. "It's a bit more complex than that. Excommunication is the ultimate earthly punishment for their people. They have every intention of forgiving the shunned member, but she needs to repent first. That's why only the bishop can talk to her."

"The bishop certainly doesn't want to be doing any of that, does he?" Morgan mentioned, sitting back in his chair. "Are we sure they're entirely innocent? How do we know these deaths aren't some kind of religious purity thing?"

Before anyone could respond to his question, Reid interjected with his own thought. "Wait, how do you know the bishop won't talk to her?"

"Because we witnessed it, kid." Morgan explained. "As soon as Bishop Yoder saw her, he gave the coldest look I'd ever seen on someone whom I wasn't dating," he seemed to shoot a glance at Emily, as if trying to tell if that made her jealous, "and then stormed out of the room."

"Was it just Bishop Yoder or were all three of them angered by her coming here?" Reid wondered.

"Uh..." JJ tried to answer. "I'm not really sure. When Yoder left, the other two made their statements known and followed him."

"So they still wanted to speak to us when Sarah was here. That means leaving the room is not some protocol when an excommunicated member enters it."

Morgan exclaimed, "Where are you going with this, kid?"

"I'm saying... I think Bishop Yoder knows her." He explained. "I think he knows her very well."

Intrigued, the rest of the group wanted to know his theory on this. They sat at attention, waiting for more.

* * *

A/N: ***If you haven't seen the latest episode yet and don't want spoilers, you'll want to skip this.***

I am not saying the latest episode was bad, because it was not. In an objective point of view, it was very good and moving and passionate. It was well written and the acting was superb; one of the best episodes they've ever done. However... I wasn't happy with it. When I first read Reid was getting a love interest, I was pretty wary about the idea. For one thing, there's Riley. I've spent a lot of time and effort in creating her and in my mind, she'll always belong to Reid. Taking her aside, there's never been a romance that seemed worthy of Reid. I hated Lila Archer (which is why I killed her in the third story) and I never really cared for the briefness that was Austin, but Maeve... I loved Maeve. She was adorable. She was definitely his counterpoint and physically, I couldn't imagine finding a closer match to Riley Parker outside of my head. What they had was perfect and I don't think they should have ruined that. At least not so quickly.

Of course, as most of you know by now, when I'm dissatisfied, I find a way to rectify it. (Case in point: Landslide) Having said that, let me pitch my idea. I've had an idea for another Reid series for a while now and I was toying with the idea of making it a Reid/JJ romance, but I haven't been feeling it. Instead, I'm wondering how it would be perceived if I did Reid/Maeve series. I'll include the stalker at some point, but I have another whole story line I've been preparing and tweaking for a long time. If there are any strong objections, I won't do it, but I think it could be fun. You guys know I try to write interesting tales.

Isn't it great how fanfiction works? You can go back in the story line, use the same facts and make everything go exactly as you'd like. And it doesn't hurt anyone. If only life could be like that. :)


	13. One on One

"Captain Lemont," Emily said as she led the local officer out of her office a half hour later. "This is Dr. Spencer Reid, one of the other members of our team. You'll remember him from the phone."

The captain offered her hand, "Yes, of course. It's nice to meet you, Dr. Reid. Your team has told me all about your qualifications. Three PhDs and a Masters, the youngest member to join the BAU, that's quite impressive."

Reid had never been fond of shaking hands, as everyone knew, but he'd learned over the years in order to make good impressions, it was required of him. He warily accepted her hand and gave her a grateful smile at her hospitality. "Thank you, ma'am." He said, humble. "I want to thank you for your help. Is Bishop Yoder ready?"

"Yes," She said, her kindness seeming to fade a bit, releasing his grasp. "I'm told you wish to talk to him one on one."

"That's correct." Reid replied. "He's not expecting me, either?"

She didn't answer, shaking her head. "As I said to Agent Prentiss a moment ago, I don't believe this is the right idea. You don't know these people like I do. They've been cautious of your team since the beginning and it's only gotten worse. Cornering him like this is just cruel."

"I'm not cornering him, Captain. Manipulation is neither my intention nor expertise." He explained. "I don't want to trick him, I just want to have a conversation with him. If this doesn't work, then I can't predict what more we can do... but I think Bishop Yoder just needs to be comforted."

"These murders have hit this town very hard." Lemont insisted. "It's devastating, to my people and the people of the Amish community, but I don't see why this man needs any more sympathy than anyone else. He's just being stubborn because he doesn't like outsiders infringing on his territory."

Reid was surprised by this woman. He'd spent his plane ride reading up on the history and traditions of the Amish, it was understandable he didn't know anything until now. Yet this woman, who claimed she was the most knowledgeable for having spent her whole life here, couldn't see what was flawed about that argument.

"From what I understand, while the Amish don't necessarily like outsiders intruding on their lives, they are peaceful people. They wouldn't have come to the police for help if they didn't want us there. Bishop Yoder is incredibly distraught for a much different reason and if you don't understand why, with all due respect Captain... you don't know him as well as you claim."

There was nothing more that needed to be said. Pushing through the two women, he met no one's eye as he made it to the door. Without so much as a knock, he opened it and stepped in, closing it behind him.

"You may not believe us, Captain, but we truly believe Dr. Reid is the best person to speak to him." Emily urged, stepping up to defend her friend. "If he believes this is the right approach, we trust his judgement."

"Well, I don't!" Lemont cried. "I've seen this kind of thing before. You and your team completely rely on each other and have an utter disregard for the local authority! We know this town better than you, yet you won't take a bit of our advice."

"Ma'am, we haven't discluded you in any way. We have trusted your judgement and taken your advice and it hasn't worked yet." Emily maintained. "Please, you need to let us try it this way."

She opened her mouth as if to retaliate, but found she had nothing more to say. Closing it again, she scowled at the raven haired woman and then stormed away. Emily watched her leave, secretly having her own doubts that Reid could do this. No matter how sure he was, there were times when he'd been wrong, and they had paid dearly for it. Today could not be that day.

* * *

Sarah could not have looked more out of place here. She was dressed casually in jeans and a sweater, and her hair definitely looked styled recently, cut and highlighted. Around her neck was a bright diamond encased in silver, twinkling off the florescent light illuminating the room. Nothing about her stood out. She was completely and utterly average, just as so many other girls her age. But there was something. Something that suggested she didn't belong here, like an alien from another planet, just trying to assimilate.

JJ noticed it as soon as she came in. As was requested, the young girl was escorted in here alone and left to wait. Most people were nervous when waiting in a police station, especially if they'd never been there before. But Sarah was much different. She sat stiffly with her head down. JJ wondered if she were in prayer. She may have given up her religion, but that didn't mean she gave up her faith.

Not wanting to disturb her if she were, JJ cleared her throat before closing the door. Sarah immediately sat up, seeing the newcomer. As most victims and witnesses where, she was somewhat comforted by her presence. This was not someone who lived by an agenda, she was caring and genuinely concerned about people. This woman could be trusted.

"Sorry about the wait." JJ said as she came over to take the seat caddy corner to the girl. "This is a very serious case, we're trying to figure the best way to explore the new evidence."

"I can't believe this is happening." Sarah said with a shake of her head. She stared down at her folded hands. "I can't imagine someone wanting to hurt my family... they were good people, all of them, who could have done something so... horrible?"

"I'm very sorry for your loss." JJ empathized to the young woman. "I know this must be difficult, but I'd like to ask you some questions, things that might not have been covered last night."

"What couldn't Brian come in with me?" Sarah asked, looking up with her shinning blue eyes. "I don't understand why we needed to be separated, I need him here."

It was intriguing how codependent she was on that young man. Deciding to follow that lead first, JJ questioned, "We just wanted you to have as much freedom as possible to talk. Is it necessary for Brian to always be by your side?"

"No... it's just he's always with me, whenever possible." Sarah explained.

"He doesn't give you any time to yourself?" JJ pressed.

"I don't want time to myself!" Tears quickly began to fill her eyes as she argued her point. All she wanted was to be back in her boyfriend's arms, unsure why these people were denying her that. "He cares about me, he protects me, from everything... I need to be with him."

She was blatantly frightened of something, but of what was uncertain. Deciding not to press the subject for now, she got them back on track.

"Well, as soon as we're done here, I'll take him to you." She assured. "For now, let's just talk. Now what did your father do for a living?"

"He was a carpenter." Sarah answered. "He built furniture, and Mr. Helberger sold it in his store, so did a few English shopkeepers in Pine Clove. There was even a dealer in Philadelphia who came up once or twice a year to buy some of his bigger items to sell. My father was very talented."

JJ smiled kindly, "That must have made your family very proud."

Sarah, however, did not look so pleased. "Not exactly. Amish religion preaches humility... it's why they wear those hideous clothes."

"That's intersting you say it like that," JJ leaned a bit forward, giving the impression this conversation was becoming a bit more intense. It might trick Sarah into becoming more personal with her.

"How do you mean?" Sarah wondered.

"Well, I know a lot about the Amish," she explained with a knowing smirk. "I grew up around them because I grew up in a small Pennsylvania town... and frankly, I don't think you and I are much different. We grew up in worlds where the people in them are expected to act and live a certain way. One that believes greatly in religion and family values and, while we're not bad people, we knew we didn't belong these worlds, so we got out. But see... I wouldn't dream of insulting my home, disgracing where my family is from. Maybe while I was living there, but not now. I respect where I come from. I'm trying to understand why you don't."

Sarah was at a loss for words, speechless for a moment as she struggled to speak. She glanced around the empty room, as if expecting someone to be there. No doubt, JJ knew who she wanted to speak for her. Her boyfriend must answer for her most often.

"Did Brian force you to come with him?" She questioned.

Sarah answered at once, "Of course not! I love him! I ran away from my family just to be with him, and when my family abandoned me... he was all I had."

JJ pressed the subject further. "But, Sarah, it's been some time since you've been home. You mean to tell me, in the year you've been gone... you haven't thought about contacting your family? Maybe even talked about it?"

Immediately, she knew they were getting somewhere. Sarah's lips folded back as if it were the only way to hold the truth back. She sunk back in her chair slightly, her eyes falling on to her jeans.

"Sarah?" JJ pressed. "What is it?"

She twisted a bit in her seat, muttering, "Brian didn't think it was a good idea."

"So you've considered it?" She pressed.

"I just wanted to see Anna!" She cried, her eyes filling immediately with tears. "It's been so long, I thought maybe my family might forgive me, even just enough to let me see my sister. Brian argued with me about it, he refused to let me go... and after today, I could see he was right. They'd never forgive me. They would never even let me in the door."

"How far do you think your boyfriend would go to stop you from going to see your family?" JJ wondered. There was no way to put a light spin on that sentence. Anyone would know what she was implying.

Sarah, however, did not get offended. "But... Brian wasn't exactly trying to stop me."

"Is that so?" JJ asked. "But you said he didn't think it was a good idea."

"My idea wasn't good. I wanted to go through Bishop Yoder. Speak to him to see if there was so middle ground we could reach, just enough so my parents would talk to me. Brian didn't want me to get hurt again... but he promised me he would find a way for me to see Anna. And soon. I can't imagine what he was planning... but I trusted him."

Trust was certainly something more people were betrayed by than protected. More and more evidence was piling up on the man in the van, although it wasn't connecting him to the entire string of murders. Still, it was enough of a lead to follow.

* * *

Bishop Yoder was sitting in a chair before the captain's desk. While the lights were off, the blinds were open to the window and he was staring outside. From the half an hour since his arrival, the snow had started again. Lightly, fluttering in the blowing wind.

"Excuse me, Bishop Yoder." Reid said in a soft, respectful tone.

The older man turned to younger. Reid stood back as far as he could, refusing to encroach on his space until he was invited. He took in his first sight of an Amish man. True to what he had read, he wore a flat hat. They always wanted to keep their heads covered. His hair and beard were mostly gray with specks of black, both long and messy. Their culture stated it was a sin to cut their hair, going their whole lives without so much as a trim. His clothes were a drab blue color, definitely home sewn. Probably by his elderly wife.

He didn't say anything to him, but eyed him with a cold gaze. Reid refused to appear weak or intimidated. He wanted the bishop to know he saw him as an equal. They should speak as one.

"It's nice to meet you," Reid finally said with a half smile. "My name is Spencer Reid... and I'm with the FBI."

"I have nothing to say to you." He said quietly, as if a loud tone could disrupt the serenity of the room. Yoder turned back to the window, staring out with such a sad longing.

"I understand you don't want us here." Reid at last took a step closer, inching towards the parallel chair. "If I were in your shoes... I'd be angry, too." He thought that might have upset him, but he paid him no mind. "I know you don't want to be angry... it's not what your religion preaches. You believe in forgiveness, and I applaud that... I've had problems with forgiveness all my life. But regardless how you're supposed to feel... you can't change it so easily."

Yoder looked to him once again. "How could you possibly know what I'm feeling?"

Clearing his throat, Reid prepared himself. This may not go over well, he could only have hope.

"I think... all men like us can understand how you feel." He explained. "There are even members of my team who could... but out of all of them, I think I'm the one that can sympathize the most."

He didn't want to listen anymore. Looking away, he waited for the young English man to leave him, alone in the darkness with his agony.

"It's horrible what happened to the Lambright family." Reid continued. He stepped closer, at last able to take the seat next to the older gentleman. "I can't imagine what their relatives must be going through. No matter how a culture perceives death... it's still sad when they pass. No matter how it happens."

The bishop gave no response. He must have been an expert at ignoring people. The Plain life was certainly one of discipline, and a man who devoted himself to God would have the most restraint.

"I looked into the Lambrights' family tree." He clarified. "I noticed... Naomi Lambright, the matriarch of the family... her maiden name was... Yoder."

At last, the bishop closed his eyes at the word. A poor man just trying to hide from his pain.

"Naomi was your daughter, wasn't she?" Reid wondered. "Those were your grandchildren in that house."

How horrible it was this was the only way Reid could get the man to speak. He opened his eyes again, a glisten shining in them now. "She was my eldest."

"I am so sorry, Bishop," Reid articulated. "Losing a child... it's such a tragedy. No matter how old, they'll always be so innocent to you... you feel it's your duty to protect them and when you can't... there isn't a thing in life more painful."

As he met his eyes again, Yoder gave him a significant expression. Almost as if he approved of the young man. "You have children of your own." It wasn't a question.

"Almost," He amended. "My wife and I are... expecting our first."

Yoder greatly approved of that. "There's no greater joy than becoming a father, especially for the first time. God bless you and your wife."

"Thank you," Reid said. It might not be the scientific way to think, but Reid never intentionally insulted a person's beliefs and religion.

"But we both know that you're here to seek my permission." He was becoming sullen again, unable to look at Reid any longer. "You continue to live under a belief that we can be converted into your way of thinking. We live a life much simpler and much more fruitful than yours, and so you can understand that we have suffered a great loss... my family and I want to bury our dead and move on. I speak for the other families as well... the least you and your people can do is leave us to our grief."

"Bishop, I understand you don't trust me." Reid continued. His tone remained light and even. It would have been very friendly had it not been so such a somber time. "You treat me as an outsider and, I know you expect that will discourage me, even insult me. For anyone else, that would probably work, but it doesn't affect me... I've been treated like an outsider all my life. I've been looked at by people the same way the English look at you... you and I don't live exactly the same, but I think we can understand each other much better than the world can understand us."

He was wearing him down, Reid knew, but still Yoder wouldn't give in. "Your effort is useless... this man took my daughter and her family without a thought and finding him isn't going to bring any of them back."

No. Nothing he could say or do would bring his family back, and it would offer little comfort. It wasn't that this man's feelings were unwarranted, either. Reid could only imagine the misery he was in, and feared it every day. If he lost Riley... that would be it for him. He'd be utterly inconsolable. He was considering trying to relate to him in that way, but talking about his wife dying put a sour pit in his stomach, and avoided the subject.

"What would your daughter say if she were here right now?" He wondered in a casual manner. "Would she... tell you not to be angry? Perhaps tell you how sorry she was... or maybe just goodbye."

"That's enough," Yoder snapped, turning to him. "My daughter is in Heaven, and so is the man she loved and all her babies."

"Not all of them!" Reid insisted. "What about Anna? You do know Anna is missing."

He paused for a moment. "She's dead, too."

"Dead or alive, she's not here. This man obviously took her for a reason." He feuded. "If she is alive, she's definitely scared. And in pain... who knows what torture she's enduring, all while we're sitting here. And if she is dead, she deserves to have a proper burial. At home, beside her mother and father."

It appeared he wasn't budging. Reid stood, hanging on to his last hope that some time would change the old man's mind. "It's up to you whether Anna comes home. I might not be a father yet, but if my child needed me... nothing would keep me from getting to her, no matter where she was. I would find her."

There was nothing more for him to say. Slowly, Reid turned and once again found the door in the dark room. He took the few steps and reached out to the knob, unprepared to go out and inform his team that he may have failed.

"Alright," Yoder muttered so low, it almost wasn't heard.

Reid turned, amazed. "Excuse me?"

Yoder eyed him, and, with the most painful expression Reid had ever seen, granted his request.

"You may do as you wish. I don't want to let you in, but... my family deserves better than what happened to them."

With a humbling expression, Reid nodded in agreement. "I promise, Bishop, my team and I will treat your family's home with the utmost respect. And I will do everything in my power to bring your granddaughter home."

He looked as if he might cry, but instead replied, "My granddaughter is never going to come home... I'm doing this so another family of my flock will not suffer. You see to it this devil is stopped."

He turned back to the window, seeming to disappear in the shadows around him. Reid made no reply, knowing the bishop would rather be left to the silence. Grabbing the knob, he took his leave, hurrying from the room. They had a lot of work to do.

* * *

A/N: Okay, so I see just about everyone's on board for a Reid/Maeve series. I started posting the first story, entitled Heart of Stone. Don't worry, I'm not going to forget about Riley. I never could. :)


	14. Help Me

Now that the wheels were in motion, the team immediately set forth to make up for the time wasted. Brian Rosenplatt was currently the only suspect they had and, even with the weak evidence that was circumstantial at best, they weren't about to let him go so easily. As long as they could keep Sarah here, the boy wouldn't be able to leave. Hotch was preparing to question him with one of the detectives, wanting Rossi outside to observe and learn whatever he could. Meanwhile, the Lambright's home needed investigated.

Morgan, Emily and Reid were leaving in fifteen minutes, giving all three of them enough time to gather their things and prepare to head out into the freezing cold again. Reid's brown bag was already packed with the case files and necessary supplies to gather evidence, unsure what they could possibly find... and nervous about it at the same time.

He sat alone at the conference table, waiting on the others. All the while, he continued to stare down at his phone. There had been no activity on it all day. Not even a text message. He didn't trust these high tech phones, missing his Nokia more and more every day. The fancier these devices got, the less reliable they became. Riley may have been trying to reach him all day and couldn't because the phone wouldn't connect them.

A gentle hand landed on his shoulder. "Give her time to miss you, kiddo." Emily said with a friendly squeeze.

Reid looked up at her, unaware she'd been watching him. He could have made the argument that his feelings were fully justified. That he had every right to obsess over his pregnant wife when they were five hours apart, but that would just bring up questions. Why was he any more bothered during this case than any other. Last week was not much different than this one, yet he was agitated, riddled with paranoia that could rival his mother. The last time he felt his nerves so shredded was when she'd been kidnapped, and his love for her back then felt like a joke compared to how he felt today.

Stuffing his phone away, he nodded, and stood out of his chair. Feigning confidence, he smiled as gratitude for her watchful eye. "Ready to go?"

"I just want to grab some coffee for the road," she explained. "Want some?"

He gave a nod and a weak smile. "Lots of sugar."

That was no problem. She headed for the door, just about to cross into the break room when she found her path obstructed. There stood the one person she'd been trying to avoid all morning. Not a difficult task, considering he was avoiding her, too.

Reid watched as the two stared each other down. He hadn't even seen them together since Saturday evening, and they left his house in the best of spirits that day. What possibly could have happened?

"Excuse me." Morgan indicated, treating her as nothing but a nuisance.

"Sorry." Emily grumbled as she stepped aside, letting him pass. She slipped past the detectives who were following in the agent's path on their coffee break. Maybe it was his imagination, but Reid swore he saw her try to obstruct her face, as if afraid she couldn't hold back her tears and couldn't risk anyone seeing.

"Are you ready yet?" Morgan spat at the young genius. His expression was hard and cold, brimming with anger. Reid wasn't so sure where that rage was aimed at, but it still sent a chill down his spine.

"I'm all set." Reid nodded. "Just waiting for you and Emily."

"I still don't know what you guys are looking for." Simpson mentioned as he sat down at the conference table. "I can't remember one case where the cops found evidence at a scene that the crime photos didn't already show."

"How many crimes could you have possibly worked here in Mayberry, Detective?" Morgan's question was way out of context. Working with the local police was rarely a highlight in their careers, but they never outright insulted them like that. Reid looked at his friend in shock. No matter how he was feeling, Morgan could usually hold his temper from those who weren't involved.

"None, actually, but I saw my fair share in Manhattan." He snapped back with superiority. "I was no stranger to murder during my four years on the NYPD force."

For someone who knew Morgan so well, Reid could see he was embarrassed, regretting his last words. Lucky for him, he could hide his emotions well. Reid deflected their attention from his friend, questioning, "You worked in New York; that's impressive."

"Yes, sir. My wife and I worked close to a hundred cases together before we moved." He indicated.

Now, Morgan was the one surprised. "Your wife?"

"Well, she wasn't my wife then, obviously. Like they would allow that. She was my partner first and somewhere along the way, we fell in love." He mistook the amazed expression on Reid's face and gave a shrug. "I know, hard to believe, right?"

"Yeah," Reid replied, glancing at Morgan and trying not to laugh. "That's pretty astonishing."

"Peele's no stranger, either," Simpson added, noting his partner to the left of him. "He was a detective in Pittsburgh for almost five years before he moved here to follow his college sweetheart."

"Guilty," Peele added. "Though I don't think I saw nearly as much activity as you did, or any of you for that matter."

"No, I imagine you saw more suicides in Pittsburgh." Reid exclaimed at once.

All three men turned to him in surprise. Even Morgan, who learned to turn the genius' spouts of trivia into white noise, was instantly bothered by that news. "You want to elaborate on that, kid?"

He immediately launched into an explanation. "Just that... Pittsburgh has the 11th leading suicide rate in the country, mostly due to the unemployment rate. It's just a statistic, it doesn't mean anything."

"Well, we do take our football pretty seriously." Peele joked with a smirk. "And Pittsburgh on its worst day was a hell of a lot better than this place."

"You're kidding?" Morgan wondered, looking to Reid, suspecting he was thinking the same thing. "You'd rather fill your days up with crime and sorrow and misery than the simple task of keeping this little town in line?"

Simpson waved his hand, as if to say the agent had no idea what he was walking about. "I get you guys see a lot of horror in your job. I don't envy what you agents have to deal with... but honestly, this place is like running a kindergarten. Day in and day out it's nothing but petty punishments and neighbor disputes as far as the eye can see."

Peele lowered his voice with his own opinion. "It wouldn't be so bad if we have someone in charge who knew what she was doing. Lemont runs this place like a joke, and there's no reasoning with her. She thinks she knows better than everyone, especially us, just because she's spent her whole life here."

"She's always been like that, but it's been out of control since her husband died." Simpson added as he got out of his chair. He made his way to the trash can to toss his empty coffee cup away, taking a moment to stretch and absorb the last few moments of his break.

Reid and Morgan couldn't help but be apprehensive at that. If the detectives' rants were truthful and not just the disgruntled subordinates of the police department, they knew the team could have a tough road ahead. Someone with that hard a head wouldn't be persuaded easily, nor would she give up her authority. Hopefully, it wouldn't come down to a battle of power between the captain and Hotch.

"You boys ready?" Emily asked holding two small paper cups, complete with plastic tops.

Reid caught a glimpse of his friend and became twisted with worry. It may have been a minute, but alone in the break room, Emily had been crying. What on Earth was going on with his friends?

"All set," He answered, not giving Morgan a chance to berate her. He reached over to take his cup. "We'd better get on the road before more snow starts."

He grabbed his bag and followed Emily out of the room, who stepped past Morgan without a word. She didn't seem to notice she'd instantly become the object of another's attention, taking in the every move of her curves as she walked away.

"Oh, man," Simpson growled as he peered around the corner after the attractive lady agent. "If I weren't married... I would all over that deal."

Morgan had never taken kindly to someone objectifying his friend like that. Even if he were angry with her, even if he were having doubts they could get through this, his love for her hadn't faded. Hearing that statement wanted to pummel this guy into the wall. He forced down his jealousy like he were swallowing a bitter dose of medicine, letting it settle in his stomach. Still, he couldn't help but consider something, wondering if perhaps the detective's story was one in a million or a simple foreshadow of his own future.

"What made you move from New York?" He wondered. He had to ask, he wouldn't be able to think of anything else until he knew the truth.

Simpson was surprised he'd asked, not sure why this man was so interested. People made comments on their love story, but didn't usually care for the details. "This was my wife's hometown. We both loved the city, but when we decided to have kids... well, she wanted to raise them here, where she knew they'd be safe. Or at least thought so before all this happened."

Morgan was amazed, that this man uprooted his whole life and changed his every plan in order to make another person happy. Had he been tormented by that, as Morgan was at the thought of the sacrifices he might have to make for Emily, or had it come easily for him.

"Was she really worth that kind of change?" Morgan wondered. "Worth running a kindergarten?"

He paused a moment, meeting Morgan's eyes and sensed what kind of turmoil he was in. "It's always worth it when it's for the woman you love."

He stepped off without a second thought, going to join his partner at the table. Morgan wanted to believe that sentence and wondered if Emily was worth it. Not to mention, she was keeping a lot from him. Real love wasn't built on secrets and sacrifices weren't worth anything if not for love.

* * *

Reid was riding in a pressure cooker. It seemed the best metaphor to describe the tension in the car. It had been awkward since the very start of their trip, when they climbed into the car. When riding with three or more people, he never got the front seat, unless he was driving. Today, however, was an exception. Morgan had taken his usual post as the driver and he expected Emily to take her usual spot by his side. How unusual it was when she nearly shoved Reid aside to climb into the back.

"So, are you guys going to tell me why you're not talking?" He couldn't hold his tongue anymore, bringing attention to the elephant in the room. The clouds still covered the sky, but they were light, suggesting there wouldn't be any more heavy snowfall for a time. But, in a town that primarily made of back roads, last night's storm made travel much more difficult.

"It's nothing," Emily answered. Not only had she taken the back, she was sitting directly behind Reid, as if wanting to be as far away from the man of her affection as possible.

"It's also none of your business," Morgan's face was contorted in a bitter gaze. He couldn't help but put some of the blame on the young man, even though he knew this wasn't in the least his fault. It was just easier to taking the blame himself.

"It sort of is my business, Morgan." Reid corrected. "It's been my business since the two of you asked me to keep your secret and have been pulling me into the middle of your relationship when it suited your needs."

"Don't you dare play that card with me." He snapped, taking his eyes off the road to shoot a glare as dangerous as a bullet at Reid. "None of this would have happened if you kept your damn mouth shut yesterday morning about Emily's little visitor."

"You were pissed at me before you found out I knew!" Emily yelled from the back seat. "You can't blame your childish and petty behavior on Reid just because he's an easy target!"

"I am not an easy target!" Reid argued angrily. Perhaps it didn't matter how far he'd come in his career and his life, at least to people closest to him. They would always treat him like the weakest of the brood.

Emily hadn't meant to insult him, but was too preoccupied in her dispute with her boyfriend to apologize. "You won't even let me explain what's going on, you're acting in judge and jury to a situation you know nothing about!"

"I gave you the opportunity to talk last night and you turned me down!" Morgan retorted, looking at her for the first time that morning.

"Morgan," Reid hissed anxiously, trying to get his attention.

"Because I went to Lancaster! You're going to punish me because I was doing my job?" She yelled while sitting up closer. Her eyes locked dangerously with his and it felt like a brawl was about to break out between them. They'd gotten into hand to hand combat with each other in arguments before and it wasn't too far-fetched to believe that would break out right now, even in the middle of a moving steal cage.

"Morgan!" Reid yelled, knowing they couldn't wait another second. He grabbed the steering wheel with one hand, forcing the vehicle to swerve to the right, narrowly missing a traveling horse and buggy driving down the opposite side.

Immediately, Morgan whipped around, taking back control. His agility and quick thinking took over, gripping the wheel as he tried to force them back on course. They narrowly missed tumbling into the deep ditch beside them.

"Jesus Christ, kid, what are you trying to do, kill us?" He yelled as the tires spun a bit before the SUV pulled its tons of weight back onto the road. That was a close call.

"You nearly killed us by hitting that buggy!" Reid's voice had gone up a nervous octave. His heart beat painfully as he looked out the back windshield. The black carriage clopped along down the snow covered tracks on the road leaving hoof prints in its wake, completely unscathed.

"Whatever," he grumbled, his shoulders hunching a bit. "Everybody just... shut up! I don't want to hear another word the rest of the way."

Reid didn't argue, sitting back to try and calm down. He glanced in the side mirror. At this angle, he could make out Emily behind him through her window. Her arm leaned beside her on the door with her hand covering her face in turmoil. He knew this wasn't even the worst of their fight, and prayed he wouldn't be around when the real blow up occurred.

* * *

The Lambright house was huge. It looked more like bed and breakfast than a residence, but Amish families were commonly large. Several generations would live under one roof. They needed all the room possible.

The SUV pulled up outside the house, the wheels crunched through the fresh fallen snow by the large front steps There were no tracks or footprints, indicating no one had been here since last night's storm.

Silent as the grave, the three climbed out of the large black car. One by one, they eyed the ginormous white house, taking in the enormity of it, and unsure what horrors they might find inside. In the distance, at the top of the hill, was a barn that looked to have been standing longer than the ancient house. It was a wonder who was taking care of the livestock, but the local farmers had probably pitched in. Beside, JJ had said Adam Lambright was a carpenter. They most likely didn't have much of a farm.

"The CSU team should be here soon," Morgan finally said. "Let's try not to disturb too much evidence until they get here."

"Wow, I never would have thought that, this being my first crime scene and all." Emily resented. Morgan immediately turned, looking like he was about to bite her head off, but Reid intercepted.

"How about we just get in there and get to work. The sooner we're done, the sooner we can get back to the precinct and the two of you can get away from each other." Reid gripped, stomping up the powdered stairs. More snow soaked into his already wet sneakers, chilling his feet even more. He knew by tonight, they would be pruned beyond recognition, but that was the least of his worries right now.

He didn't look back as he stepped made it on the porch. It was huge, large enough for at least a dozen children to run and play happily. He wondered how many happy memories the family had on this porch alone. The house was probably filled with thousands, spanning across the decades... they were all gone now, wiped out by one vicious, horrid act.

He took off his black gloves, replacing them with blue rubber ones from his bag, not taking the chance to destroy any evidence. The door had been unlocked and he couldn't decide whether it was left that way or if the Lambrights never made it a habit to secure their home. He pushed open the door slowly, checking around to make sure there were no disturbances and headed inside.

The house felt even colder inside than it did out. He wasn't a man of superstition. Ghosts were not something he took much stock in, although he had read extensively on subjects involving the supernatural and occult. Some people believed walking into a chilly place indicated there were restless spirits captive there. A lesser mind would consider it was the tortured souls of the family, ripped from their lives so suddenly.

It was nothing but hokum, but it didn't stop another chill going down his spine that day. At this rate, his core temperature was going to drop dangerously low by the time he got to bed. Taking a moment to gather himself, Reid decided his best bet to begin profiling the home would be upstairs, where the murders occurred. Preparing himself for what he was about to see, he began his ascent to the upper level.

It felt just as cold up here, coming into the long hallway. Half a dozen rooms were in plain sight as he came around the corner. The corridor lead down a lengthy catwalk with bedrooms on one side and a railing on the other. The rail turned the corner, leading to another staircase. He wondered what lay even higher and decided to start his search there and work his way down. He could use the alone time anyway.

Up there was a hall similar to the one below, only wider. One side of the ceiling sloped from the roof with a large skylight in it to bring in the natural morning light. Three rooms stood up here, all with their doors closed. A sign of respect after the amateur photographs had been taken. He didn't want to disturb any of them, but he wouldn't learn anything standing out here. He knew which one he was looking for anyway. To him, it was the most important.

He took the first one coming up from the stairs, opening it carefully. The light didn't fill this room nearly at all, what with it being on the other side of the house by this time of day. Inside was only a set of bunk beds, and the scene made his stomach churn. Two pools of congealed blood were soaking into the floor. One was directly under the bottom mattress, flowing from a sticky waterfall. The first murder must have happened in the lower bunk, taking the sleeping boy by surprise. His brother, whom Reid remembered was a year older, must have been alerted by the commotion. The blankets on the top were greatly disturb, indicating the brother tried to get away. He may have even gotten down the ladder... which was way no blood got into that bed. His body was left to die on the floor, his blood left behind after he was taken away.

This wasn't Anna's room, though. It could wait until later. Reid closed the door, leaving it just as he found it. He continued down the hall.

The second room proved futile as well. There was a large bed in here, big enough for two people but only kept one. Reid could tell as much by how it was pushed against the wall. If only one person needed a way out of the bed, there was no reason to keep the other side open.

Blood had soaked into this mattress. Another timorous attack in the victim's slumber. That made Reid even more angry, knowing their killer was certainly a coward. Recalling the file, Adam Lambright's widowed father was living here. This must have been his room, and a frail old man couldn't have put up much of a fight. Yet, still, the unsub couldn't face him as he slit his throat.

"Find anything?" a voice unexpectedly asked, making Reid jump. He'd been so preoccupied while taking in the crime scenes, his powerful mind reenacting the murders for him. He turned around sharply, partially bothered his friend had come up to disturb him.

"Not yet," he answered. "Though I doubt I will if I'm going to be chastised up here."

"I came up to help you, kid!" Morgan said loudly as he climbed the last few steps. The slope of the ceiling made the muscular man look larger than normal. Not to mention, Reid always thought he looked bigger when he was mad.

"I think you came up to get away from Emily." He corrected, avoiding his eyes as he began to search around the vast space of the hall. The ceiling was flat on the other side of the hall. A cut square stood in the top just outside of the third bedroom, and a long chimney was situated on the corner next the wrapping rail of the stair case. It was larger than the stoves in the other rooms he'd seen, indicating this one probably came from the kitchen. Other than that, the whole place was blemish free. "I'm assuming she's still on the first floor."

"She's checking out the basement, first." He corrected, stepping to the first bedroom, opening the door. "You find anything yet?"

Reid answered despondently. "Nothing the photos haven't already shown us, as Simpson predicted." Although truthfully, he hadn't looked too closely yet. Finally, he made his way to the last room, slowly opening the door, and peaked inside.

"I wouldn't take too much stock in what he said, Reid," Morgan's call echoed back to him. "We've worked enough cases to know evidence can be hiding anyway, not just in plain sight."

Reid wasn't listening as he took sight of the last room, taking a slow gasp. "This is it."

Curious, Morgan came to see. "What's it?"

As he stood over Reid's shoulder, he observed the sight of the bedroom. Reid sadly absorbed the scene, trying to find the strength to step it. "This was Anna's room... the one she shared with her sister before she ran away."

Morgan watched cautiously as Reid at last crossed the threshold. He'd never seen the young man so tentative. Usually, after a decade in the BAU and all the trauma he'd endured, he was great at compartmentalizing. He rarely let his emotions get the best of him in the middle of a case. Afterwards was another story, but he could get his work done without worry. Today, however, he seemed worse than the rookie who couldn't sleep because of nightmares. Like just walking into this horrific scene pained him.

"I'm sorry, Reid," Morgan mentioned as he, too, stepped in. "I didn't even think how hard this must be on you."

"What are you talking about?" He mumbled, going to the window. It was so cold in here; Reid was shivering worse than out in the snow. Ice crystals had formed their unique patterns on the glass panes, and both men could distinctly see their breath.

"Come on, Reid, you don't got to act like that with me. I know this is getting to you." He stepped further inside, trying to conduct his support. "I know you too well, don't think you can hide it from me. You can't help but feel for this missing girl when you've got a little girl of your own on the way."

"Why does everybody think that?" Reid exclaimed, at last looking to him. "Just because my daughter's about to be born does not change my objectivity."

"Really?" Morgan asked, not believing him in the least. "Don't try to hide it, Reid, it's not healthy. You'd have to be a sociopath not to feel the way you do. Do you not remember Hotch his first case after Jack? Those families murdered in their homes over a course of a week, that's enough of a bother for anyone, let alone a new dad. And you standing in what was once the bedroom of a happy little girl can't help but make you think of your own... and the bedroom you just finished for her."

Reid glared at him. It was one thing to open up to his wife, in the safety of their home, but standing in the middle of a murder scene where a young girl was recently hurt and taken away was not only in bad taste, but unsettling. "Do you have a point?"

"I'm just trying to look out for you." He told him. "I'm sorry I yelled at you in the car, I know... what's going on with me and Emily isn't your fault. And you're dealing with a lot more than we are, you don't deserve to get pulled in to our problems. But, regardless how I'm feeling... if you need to talk, I'll listen."

He did appreciate that, but now wasn't the time to get into his problems. "I really think we're wasting time standing here talking, so... why don't we just get to work and maybe find something that will be helpful to our case."

He wasn't in the mood to talk and Morgan certainly wasn't in the mood for his usual deflecting attitude. "Whatever," he muttered yet again and left the room, leaving the young genius to himself. If he wanted to be alone, that's how it would be.

The front of the house was right outside the windows behind Reid. He could hear the arrival of the crime team; tires crunched through even more of the snow upon their approach. The three profilers wouldn't have much time to study before everything started to be taken and catalogued. He needed to buckle down and try to work, and forget about what happened here.

As he began to move around the room, Reid's eyes took in the two twin beds. No doubt, they were homemade, right down to the mattresses. The one was soaked with blood, left behind by the injured girl. Some had puddled on the floor as well, trickling down from the bed.

Except... it hadn't trickled down. Unlike the stream that flowed from the bunk beds of the brothers, there wasn't a clue to suggest how the blood from the bed spilled onto the floor. It was almost like there were created by two different sources. But that wasn't possible, no one else slept in this room... that they knew of.

Reid moved closer, trying to get a better view of the mess. After some quick deducing, Reid noticed the blood had flowed under the bed as well. The floor was level, however, so it didn't explain it's current. Water moved in symmetrical directions unless a force of gravity took over. How could it flow under Anna's bed and not under Sarah's... unless it was coming from another source.

He jumped again as another sound broke the silence of the room. Not a voice this time, or footsteps. It was the strangled meow of a cat, who had just appeared behind Reid. He turned to look and indeed found a black cat who sat there, twitching his long tail back and forth. A wet smear was smoothed his fur in a very neat fashion. Like it had been painted there and not splashed on him.

"Hi, kitty," Reid mumbled, reaching out for him. The cat was instantly frightened. His ears going down as he backed away. He took the first opportunity to run, dashing out the door.

Reid stood as he watched the cat bolt, through the door and out to the hall. That wasn't a surprise. Animals hated him. The Reid Effect, as it was known; a comment he'd never been too fond of, but never made mention of it. The cat left a trail of solid bloody paw prints. There weren't any signs the blood had been disturbed in this room... unless he'd been under the bed. But why would he?

Curiosity could definitely be a dangerous thing, and one day it just might be the cause of his demise, but Reid couldn't resist. There was something under this bed that was important and he needed to see for himself.

He went over to the cleaner side of the room, wishing for a moment he had a flashlight. Even with the afternoon sun spilling in, the shadow would obstruct his vision underneath the mattress. Still, he wanted to see if there was something. Anything that might be important.

Scrunching his body to ground as if preparing to crawl under barbed wire in the rain and mud, he craned his neck to see underneath. Even the little light was enough to prove what the cause of the flow was and Reid thought he might be sick.

"Oh, no," he muttered, feeling like his own heart was filling with blood.

Underneath the bed was the immobile form of their one missing victim. A young teenage girl, with her light brunette hair swept around her, was curled in the fetal position. Blood was soaked around her, flowing down her night gown and sticking to her legs, pale and blue from the cold. There was no doubt in his mind this was Anna, wrapped in her soaking read sheets. How she managed to get away and die under her bed was a certain mystery they might never solve. For a second, Reid was reminded of the nightmare he had last night, his poor wife covered in blood. It was almost too similar to be coincidence.

He pushed the thought away quickly, bottling his emotions once again. He knew it hadn't been wise to hang onto that hope. He'd said that Garcia himself, but part of him just wanted to believe she would be okay. That maybe this little girl would get to come home. Maybe this was for the best. After all, what did she have to come home to?

He was about to get up and tell the others the bad news. Just as he was about to move, Reid felt an instant shock. The stiff body twitched slightly from a harsh intake of breath as if she were rising back from the grave. The body's bright blue eyes slowly opened and locked with the hazel on the other side. They immediately filled with both hope and fear, too weak to consider who this stranger might be. In a harsh, nearly inaudible voice, her blue chapped lips hissed out to him.

"Help... me..."

* * *

A/N: It's not the big plot twist of the story, but I hope you guys weren't expecting that. And I know you guys are worried about Morgan and Emily, but hang in there! It's coming! :)


	15. Squeeze

"Morgan!" Reid cried in a near panic. He struggled to get his shaken body off the floor, desperate for someone to help him. "Morgan, come here, quick!"

"What is it?" He called in an irritated tone, coming back into the hall. He just caught sight of Reid dashing out the room, his coat looking slightly wrinkled now.

"Call an ambulance, we need help! Now!" He ordered.

"What are you talking-"

"She's here!" Reid screamed, like he were trying to shout down a canyon. "Anna's here and she's alive, she needs help!"

He dashed back into the room to return to her side. Morgan pulled out his cell, about to take the young man's orders, but he held back. Something about this didn't seem right. It had been two days since someone was in this house to take pictures and remove the other bodies. Even if she'd been alive then, there was no way she'd survive until now. Maybe Reid had imagined he saw her move; the wishful thinking of a hopeful young man. Following him in, he caught Reid in time to catch him toss his coat across the room and practically throw himself on to the ground, regarding something under the bed.

"It's okay," He assured quietly. "We're going to get you out of there, just hang on."

He hoped the kid wasn't losing it, trying to be a big hero to a girl who was beyond help. Morgan carefully eased himself down to see for himself. He was just as startled as Reid had been when her glassy, yet bright eyes flicked over to meet his. Her ragged, shallow breaths echoing in the shallow space.

"Holy mother..." he managed to cry out, and that was that. He jumped back on his feet and proceeded to call 911. He had just enough time to feel a wave of nauseous remorse before he ordered. "Stay with her Reid, we'll get help."

Like he could possibly take himself anywhere else. Mustering his strength, he inched himself as close as possible. Thank goodness he was so gangly. It wasn't too much of a struggle to fit under the bed. He would have liked to rip the furniture out of the way, but could never manage that on his own. Even if he could, he didn't want to risk hurting her more. She needed to stay perfectly still until medical help arrived.

"It's alright," Reid said soothingly, reaching out to her. "Can you tell me your name?"

There was no doubt who she was, but he wanted to test her cognitive thinking. Just to see how lucid she was. Shivering, she answered in a hushed tone, "Anna."

"Hi, Anna," He clawed to pull closer, trying to get to her. "My name's Spencer. We're going to get you some help, okay?"

She was shivering so badly, having spent more than two days on her icy wet sheets that she'd pulled with her under the bed, having nothing but a thin cotton nightgown to keep her warm. "I'm... s-s-so cold," she stammered, starting to close her eyes.

"Anna!" Reid called out, louder than was necessary, but loud was good right now. "Anna, do not close your eyes! I need you to stay awake. Here," he pushed himself as close as possible, his elbow landing in the pool of her blood which immediately began to soak into his sleeve. It was like dunking his arm in a frozen lake, "take my hand. Squeeze it as tight as you can... and just keep looking into my eyes."

She immediately obeyed. It looked so painfully for her to move even just the few inches to slip her delicate palm into his, grabbing on as tight as her weakening body could. Her blue eyes locked onto his comforting hazel in the darkness and wouldn't look away.

"That's right. Just hang on to me... I won't let anything happen to you." He was able to convey his confidence by squeezing her hand to show his support. He was just as pleased as she squeezed back as tight as she could. She wasn't about to give up so easily.

* * *

Rossi was waiting outside the station's only interrogation room when Hotch walked in. "The detective should be here in a moment," he informed, looking through the two-way mirror. "Can you read anything on him?"

"He's agitated," Rossi informed. "Either he knows we're considering him a suspect or he's so bothered that we've taken his girlfriend away from him, he doesn't even realize we're targeting him. I don't know if we're on the right track here, I'm not getting sadistic killer from him. What about you?"

Hotch wasn't sure what to say. "I can't really make that call, we haven't narrowed down a profile yet. It is, however, hard to ignore what Sarah told JJ. We definitely need to play up that angle."

Detective Simpson stepped into the observation room, grabbing the two agents' attention. "Alright," he said, taking a leisurely sip of his coffee. "Are we ready to get started?"

"_We've_ been ready." Rossi indicated with a sneer in his voice.

The detective didn't seem to care about the fact these men had been waiting on him. They noticed attitude like that in local law enforcement, particularly in small towns. They treated the FBI like intruders who needed to obey their routines, not take heed to the expert wisdom of the Bureau.

"Thank you for assisting us, Detective," Hotch stated, wanting to finally get the show on the road. "I want it clarified, we haven't concluded that Brian Rosenplatt is our unsub, but we have reason to believe he's involved somehow. We're not going in there to force a confession out of him, we just want information."

Simpson shook his head with a sigh, "It's been a while since I interrogated someone. I'm thinking maybe it's best if the two of you handle this and I keep watch."

Annoyed, Hotch kept his temper down and urged the officer to see reason. "I'd prefer Agent Rossi to stay out here, so he can study the suspect's behavior. Profiling him could lead us to the truth later. If you're uncomfortable doing this, I can take the lead, I'd just prefer not to question him one on one, we won't get any answers that way."

That seemed good enough for him. With a conceding nod, he took another sip of his coffee without a word.

"Very well," Hotch said, meeting Rossi's gaze a moment. He stepped over to claim the handle of the door, waiting until Simpson was right behind him, and allowed them both inside.

The two men hadn't even made it in there before Brian demanded. "Where's Sarah?"

"She's not your concern right now." Simpson immediately announced. Hotch immediately was displeased by his approach. Already, he was trying to intimidate the young man. That worked with drug dealers in the city limits, not potential killers on the outskirts of civilization.

"Sarah is with another member of my team." Hotch explained once they were safe inside. "She spoke to another agent about her family, do you have any idea what they discussed?"

"I don't know because I wasn't in there!" Brian spat. "I demand to be let out of here. You can't arrest me!"

"What makes you think we're going to arrest you?" Simpson wondered with an all too interested tone. It was a tone Hotch had heard many times, especially during his work in the DA's office. A veteran cop in a run-of-the-mill questioning. "Could we have possibly have found some evidence to suggest such?"

This was the last thing Hotch wanted to do. They weren't going to get any answers this way. "What Detective Simpson is trying to say is that we're not holding you under arrest, but we have learned some things that does not show you in the best light. Don't you find it odd that Sarah Lambright's family was bludgeoned like this?"

Brain hesitated, eyeing the agent carefully. The cop was nothing more than bothersome, but Agent Hotchner was cause for alarm. "No," he uttered quickly. "I mean... Agent Prentiss told us last night about the other families that were killed. It's awful, but for some reason, the Lambrights were chosen."

"That's correct, there are other victimized families." Hotch nodded. "But... it seemed to happen close to the same time that you promised Sarah she could see her sister again. And now, not only is her family murdered, but her sister is missing."

Realizing what he was getting at, Brian looked stunned. "You... you don't think... no way! I had nothing to do with that!"

"Really?" Simpson cried, leaning close to the young man. "Because it seems to me that you made a foolish promise to your little girlfriend that you later learned you couldn't deliver. You knew if you didn't follow through, she'd probably leave you and return home, so you knew you had to do something in order to keep her!"

"I didn't murder anybody!" Brian yelled, looking between the two men.

Simpson smirked. "I didn't say that!"

Hotch had enough. This was not only getting them nowhere, this could jeopardize the case. Once they had a confession, the investigation would halt until another family was killed, and then this process started over again.

"Detective!" He ordered with a deadly glare. Simpson looked over with a bothered and fiery gaze, conveying he seemed to believe the agent didn't know what he was doing. He did, at least, fall silent. Slowly, he sank back in his chair. If Hotch wanted to take over, he'd let him.

Turning back, Hotch asked, "No one is under the belief that you did this... yet. While it appears you've had contact with at least one member of every murdered family, it doesn't seem logical you would wish them any harm. You're only grudge is against one."

"Yeah, because they hurt Sarah!" He was desperate to get his point across. "I hate the Lambrights for what they did to her. Excommunicating is so archaic! It's as bad as those old fashioned Islamic men who murder their daughters for kissing boys!"

"We don't need to get into an argument on religious practices right now." Hotch informed, getting them back on track. "But we do have evidence that you disliked the Lambrights, yet you told Sarah she could see Anna again. Can you explain how you planned to accomplish that when neither of you have contact with the family? When neither of you would get a chance to speak with them?"

Brian didn't jump into an explanation, as he had before. Instead, he shrunk, slouching a bit and avoided their eyes. A blatant sign of guilt. There was something there.

"How were planning to get the girls together?" Hotch questioned.

Brian picked his head up, blurting out the truth. "I didn't think anything would happen! I... I asked a friend for help. He's a little, you know... out there. Mentally." He paused to allow the message to get across. "He's not crazy or anything, at least not medically declared. He's just passionate. We went to high school together and we reconnected when I moved back after college... he's gotten involved with some questionable things, but I've learned, with this guy... you don't ask questions. You just let him be. I brought up how I wanted to try and connect with Anna, explain to her how I wanted to reunite her with Sarah. I knew Mr. Lambright would recongize me if I was around, so I wanted my friend to catch up to her."

Surprisingly, Simpson didn't lose his composure over that detail, although he did look pretty stunned. Hotch voiced his understanding out loud. "You were planning to kidnap Anna?"

"He was going to grab her one day and then call me as soon as he had her!" Brian exclaimed. "I know it's extreme, but I couldn't think of how else to talk to her without her running away and warning everyone I was around. And it was only going to be a for a few hours, I figured she would understand once she knew what I wanted. Never in my life did I think this guy would murder someone... or he'd be involved in these deaths."

"He's never come off as the violent type before?" Simpson wondered.

Shaking his head, "Never. I didn't want to believe he had something to do with this... but if he had already killed the other families, maybe when I talked to him, he decided to kill the Lambrights... and then restrained himself enough not to kill Anna."

Hotch asked, "Has he contacted you yet?"

"No," Brian shook his head. "We were talking about our plan on Saturday afternoon, but I haven't heard from him since."

Now they were getting somewhere. "We're going to need his name, and any place you may know of that he could stash a victim."

"His name is Micah Bernard." Brian admitted without hesitation. "I don't know of an exact place, he sleeps on his aunt's couch, he's got no personal space of his own... but his group might help him. I don't know who's in it, but it's this kind of radical environmental group. They stage protests and rallies about everything. Global Warming, recycling, animal rights, stuff like that. I'm not sure of the name, but I can give you his cell number."

"Thank you," Hotch replied as he stood. At least Garcia could trace that. Perhaps they weren't too far from ending this case after all. "Detective Simpson will take you to Sarah, we'd like you to stay in case we have anymore questions."

He didn't want to stay, but since he didn't feel as threatened anymore, Brian didn't protest.

The three men left the room and Hotch waited until both Simpson and Brian were out of earshot before he began to discuss with Rossi. "What if we've been wrong? We've been looking at this like it's one unsub, but it's more likely this is a team."

Rossi wasn't about to agree. "You really think the whole group is involved? Sex and sadism is usually only done by one person."

"You're right," Hotch announced, "but rapes and mutilation didn't start until the fourth family. What exactly could have shifted that caused the MO to change... and does this group have anything to do with it?"

It was a good question without an obvious answer. All they could do was follow the next clue and see what turned up.

They were just about to step out of the room when Hotch's phone rang. Both men stopped, anticipating what this might mean. It had to be one of the team, and they'd only call if they learned something important. Rossi looked back as Hotch pulled out his cell, spotting Prentiss's name on the front. "Hotchner,"

He listened for a moment and Rossi was disturbed as his face fell, most of the color drained with it. "Are you sure?"

Another pause followed and for a moment, Rossi thought the man might be sick. "Alright, uh... I'll send JJ and Rossi to the hospital to collect any evidence. Finish profiling the crime scene and get back here. We can't do anything for her until she's stable... right... we'll be waiting."

He hung up the phone and Rossi swore, he almost say his hands shaking. "What's up?"

Looking up, he forced himself to gather back his composure, trying to remain professional. "They found Anna under her bed... she's been struggling for two days to survive under there."

"I guess that means Micah Bernard didn't kidnap her." Rossi admitted, just as overwhelmed by this. "Although it is a mystery why she's still alive."

"I don't want to rule him out just yet." Hotch informed. "I'll talk to Garcia to track him down, you go with JJ to the Pine Clove Hospital, see what the doctors can tell you about the physical attack. If she wakes up, she might open up to JJ about what happened."

"If?" Rossi wondered.

He was reluctant to admit it, but truth could never be denied. Not by a rational man. "She's been bleeding out since Saturday night... I wouldn't be surprised if she died on the way to hospital. Hopefully, she finds some reason to hang on."

"If she knows about her family," Rossi shook his head, "I can't imagine what that would be."

* * *

Pine Clove wasn't the kind of town that had a state-of-the-art hospital. The facility was mostly used by elderly patients as well as labor and delivery. It could barely afford modern equipment even the smallest hospitals had in the country, including an ambulance. In loo of one, the town had designated a pick-up truck for the the EMTs to drive, stocked with the needed medical supplies. It wasn't ideal in the emergency they were facing, but thanks to the four wheel drive, it shaved valuable minutes off their time.

"How's she doing, Reid?" Morgan asked as he watched through the bedroom window. The truck had arrived and was backing up to the front porch, wanting to be as close as possible.

"She's hanging in there," Reid's muffled voice called back. Anna's hand was still clasped in his, which had warmed slightly from the heat from his body. "You're going to be just fine, I promise. You're so strong."

She wanted to close her eyes, her lids starting to slip close again. "I'm so tired..."

"I know, and I promise, you'll be able to rest soon." He assured. "You've been so brave and so strong so far, Anna, you just need to hang on a little longer. Just stay with me, talk to me. I'm right here."

"Prentiss is leading them up now." Morgan cried, and Reid spotted his feet clomp along the wooden floor out of the room, going to meet them at the top of the stairs.

At last, Reid heard the clamor of the medics arising to the top floor. He saw the wheels of a gurney roll in by two sets of legs he didn't recognize. Both Emily and Morgan brought in the rear, ready to help in anyway they could.

"Where is she?" A male medic asked, confused.

"Under the bed," Emily informed. "She's been under there since the attack."

An unfamiliar female voice responded, going over to the blood puddle on the opposite side. "Okay, we can't do anything until we get this bed out of the way. We need to try to lift it."

"We can help with that." Morgan offered, going to the other side. "Reid, it'll be easier if you get out from under there."

He didn't want to leave Anna, but knew it would be difficult to move the piece of furniture aside with his legs sticking in the way. "Alright," he reluctantly agreed, trying to pull his hand away from the girl's. As weak as she was, she wasn't about to let him go so easily.

She met his gaze with a pair of frightened eyes. Without a word, she pleaded for him not to leave her, afraid she wouldn't have the strength to hang on if she were alone again.

"It'll be alright," he assured with a smile. "This will just take a minute and then we'll get you out of here. You have to trust me."

After two days, the last thing this girl wanted was to be alone. Still, despite her lack of knowledge of the modern world, she could tell this stranger wasn't lying. That he wasn't about to abandon her again. If she let him go for just a minute, she would be saved. Slowly, she allowed his fingers to slip from her grasp. Reid pulled away and out from under the bed, his body stiff from being cramped in such a cold, cramped space for so long.

Gripping the old yet sturdy wood of the bed, the four managed lift and shift the bed a few feet to other side of the room. As soon as it was clear, Reid dropped to his knees and returned to her side. He pushed back her hair to see her face, allowing the light in the room to illuminate her pale, ghostly face. wouldn't leave her side. Her eyes were closing again, but he refused to let her drift off just yet.

The EMTS rushed to her and worked to get her stable, packing the wounds in her stomach and connecting her to IVs with fluids along with checking her vitals. Any visible part of her skin had a hint of blue to it; some of the blood around her had even begun to form crystals.

Reid stood back, observing the entire time. He didn't even carrying the front of his shirt and sleeve were stained red from wading through the slop. He held his breath as Anna was at last moved from her mess of blood and ice and gently laid onto a stretcher. Her eyes were closed by now, but the chattering of her teeth was a sign she wasn't slipping away.

"She's lucky," the medic said to the three agents as her partner strapped the young girl securely. She kept her voice low so the teen wouldn't overhear, even in her half conscious state. "Those stab wounds are pretty deep. She wouldn't have lasted much longer."

"How could she have possibly survived this long?" Emily speculated. Just as stunned as the men had been earlier.

The medic explained, "With the age of this house and the recent weather, it's frigid in here. Her core temperature is dangerously low, it slowed her heart rate tremendously. If this had been summer... she would have bled to death."

Amazing what something so simple could save a person's life. The gurney was ready now and the medics began to carry the injured girl out of her room and over to the stairs. Reid didn't think twice before following them out, with Morgan and Emily in tow.

"Is she going to be okay?" Morgan questioned when reaching the first floor. Reid didn't seem to be listening, or he was just in too much shock to find his own voice.

"We won't know that until we get to the hospital." The other medic said as they hurried out the front door. The pick-up was parked right behind the SUV with it's lights still flashing. They brought the gurney around to the back, opening the hatch to the covered bed. "I'll radio the emergency room to expect us and get an OR ready."

"I can't say it's going to be a smooth ride on these roads, but we'll get her there." His partner added.

They positioned the girl right on the edge in preparation to push her in. The female medic climbed up first, preparing to pull their patient inside with her. "We'll contact you as soon at the police station we know something."

"Thank you," Emily called, keeping clear of the way. Reid was right beside them the whole time, as if they couldn't leave without his escort. There wasn't anything he could do, though, except trust them. He was just preparing to step back with his friends when he felt something reaching out and delicately cling to him, gripping as strongly as her frail body could.

Reid looked down to find his wrist captured by a tiny hand, lightly blue with striations of red across the skin. Amazed, he looked up to find Anna's eyes were partially open again, gazing at him with longing. He understood without a word.

"Don't worry, I'll stay with you." He assured, at last finding his voice. He patted her hand with his opposite one in reassurance. Reid looked back to Morgan and Emily, pleading slightly. "You guys can handle this here, right?"

"Of course," Emily answered without hesitation. "You just look after her."

He was grateful, hoisting his gawky form into the back of the truck, helping the two heave the stretcher into the safety of the bed. The male medic closed the upper and lower hatch, securing them inside before heading to the front.

A moment later the engine started. Reid positioned himself to sit as comfortable as possible, slipping his hand into Anna's grasp. She kept her eyes on him the whole time, relaxing a bit as he gave her a smile. She allowed herself to relax a bit, ignoring the medic's work on her as she was hooked up to a heart monitor. Anna closed her eyes again, all the while refusing to let this man go. Reid allowed her to rest, squeezing her hand lightly to see if she was still conscious. He breathed easier when Anna squeezed back, both continuing in that pattern the whole ride back to town.


	16. Roommates

"I mean... she can't possibly understand what I have to deal with on a daily basis." Agent Petro exploded with his hands clenched tightly in fists on his lap. "It's not something she should know about and I'd prefer not sharing it with her! Why can't she just... see that!"

Riley made a note on her pad as she listened to her patient rant, silently pleased at his recent success. Six weeks ago, he'd been sent to Riley once a week for anger management and spent his entire sessions sitting in that very spot and staring at her. Now, he felt comfortable enough to not only talk, but vent his problems. That was no easy task.

She tried to adjust herself in her chair to ease the ache in her back. "You know," she said as she shifted herself, "the thing about spouses is they can obviously see when their loved one is in pain. Your wife sees you struggling with the horrors you have to see every day and she wants to ease that burden for you. It's an instinct that's not easily silenced."

He grumbled. "I know why she's doing it, and I love her for that... but if she knew everything I dealt with... all those poor kids I see kidnapped and sold into pedophile rings and kiddie porn..." He paused for a moment to gather himself. His job was hard enough to deal with during working hours, he didn't want to divulge into it now. "It would scar her. I need to come home at the end of the day and not think about it all over again. I just want to... spend time with her and play with our kids, not talk about abused children who lost their childhood."

"Well, she's not going to know that until you say that to her!" Riley insisted. "Communication in a marriage is so important. It's not just about you, the two of you are one person and each of you need to give a little in order for this organism to survive. No, you can't tell her about the details of your work, that would make matters worse. However, it wouldn't hurt to talk to her about how you're feeling. If you come home feeling depressed or upset or angry, it might help to open up to her about that. That's what she's fishing for when she's pestering you about your job. I realize talking about your feelings makes you uncomfortable, frankly because you don't want to appear weak and vulnerable, but getting those emotions out will ultimately be so much more beneficial for you. Bottling it up is not healthy, which is what lead you here in the first place."

He made a pouting face and sunk back in his chair. "Do I have to?"

"If you ever want to get out of therapy, you will." She mentioned with a smile. As she squirmed in her chair again, she checked her watch. "And we are five minutes over, so now seems like a good time to wrap up."

"That was only an hour?" Agent Petro muttered, looking down at his watch. "Wow, it feels like we just started."

Riley smiled, feeling the baby kick a bit as she tried to stand up. "I'm good at what I do. Now, your session is the same time next week, but Dr. Redmond will be taking over until you're next evaluation. Who knows, by then, the board may terminate your therapy."

The agent kindly held out his hand to help her up, allowing her to steady herself. "I doubt it... no offense, I just... I had a hard enough time opening up to you, how am I supposed to start over with a new doctor?"

"Believe me, I wouldn't be passing you to him if I didn't have to." Riley confessed as she walked him to the door, "but it's kind of out of my hands. Dr. Redmond has been fully briefed on your case and knows the exact course of treatment I'm administrating. He will not alter it without my consent. Also, I will be checking my messages every day, so if there is an emergency, I will step in."

He nodded reluctantly, "Alright, that makes me feel a little better."

"Take it easy and talk to your wife." Riley requested as she opened the door. With a confident smile, she added. "You're going to be fine, Roy."

"Thank you," He said with a smile, stepping out. "Good luck with your baby, Dr. Reid."

"Thanks," she chuckled a bit as he stepped out. She watched him head down the hall with a sense of worry, as she did with all her patients when they left her office, and closed herself inside. It was good to be alone.

"Hey," Riley laughed as she felt another forceful kick in her abdomen. They'd been getting stronger as the session went on. She gently caressed over the curve, which calmed her a bit. "We're going to eat in a few minutes, don't worry."

Riley had read a lot in the last six months both on infant care and the experience of pregnancy. Spencer had read more than twice as much and one thing they'd learned was how important it was to talk to the baby. It had felt a little awkward for her at first, sounding more like she was talking to some imaginary friend, but as the months went by and the baby became more about of her body, it got easier. In fact, Riley enjoyed their quiet conversations they shared, and it seemed the baby could tell when someone was talking to her, enjoying it immensely and answering with her own jabs and kick, like a secret language. Riley could almost tell what she was saying, too, it was indescribable. She could only hope the bond they shared wasn't a false one, and they would feel just as connected after the birth.

Sitting back down, she winced at the slight impact on her back, the dull pain radiating ever so slightly. Once she felt stable, she let out an easy breath and reached into her purse, pulling out her cell phone.

Meanwhile, Morgan and Emily were finishing up in the Lambright house. Most of the evidence had been collected and they'd profiled all the could. At least, they believed so. Morgan and Emily weren't exactly talking much.

They had stuck together through the process, however. At long last they once again made it up to the third floor. Notes had to be made at the tampering of the crime scene, moving the bed and the disturbance of the blood pool in order to get the young teenager to safety. Still, they had to at least take a look around. Maybe there was something still salvageable.

"I'll look through Anna's room," Morgan decided. "You take the boy's bedroom and... who ever's done first will take the last one."

"I'll do it." She offered tonelessly. Without even a glance in his direction, she hurried into the brothers' room, closing the door enough to block him from sight.

He was trying not to let his temper get away from him again, but she was making it difficult. Why did she have to be so damn hard-headed? It made life so much more difficult.

Then again, Morgan thought, that quirk is one of the things that made her Emily. He loved her for who she was and certainly wouldn't feel the same way if she was the docile, spineless women he used to find so desirable. Maybe this wouldn't work out unless he was the first one to bend. Just a little... just to give them a chance of getting through this.

Now wasn't the time to discuss it, though. A thought that occurred to Morgan just as he heard the chime of a phone ringing. A foreign sound in a house so devoid of technology.

It was even enough to pull Emily from her work. Sticking her head out, she questioned, "What is that?"

"It's coming from Anna's room." He indicated as he stepped in. Sure enough, taking a look around. Reid's coat still lay on the dusty floor, abandoned by it's owner earlier. The ring was coming from right inside and Morgan quickly went over to fetch it. Emily stood in the doorway as he looked at the ID and quickly answered.

He smirked as he put it on speaker phone, loud enough for both to hear. "Now why are you calling, Parker? I know you're used to Reid servicing your every whim, but he's five hours up north. You're on your own for the next few days."

There was a pause on the other end as Riley responded, "Very amusing, Morgan. You know it's not a wise idea to piss off a pregnant woman."

"That's true, she's got that crazy strength now." Emily muttered with a snicker. "She just might snap you in half when we get home."

"Then I'll need someone to protect me, won't I Prentiss?" Morgan gave her one of his signature smirks. It warmed his heart as Emily laughed, her chocolate brown eyes glowing, like they did when she was happy. For a moment, they seemed to forget they were angry at each other.

"May I ask why the two of you have my husband's cell phone?" Riley wondered, pulling the conversation back to her.

"He left it by mistake," Morgan explained. "He was in a bit of a rush to get to the hospital."

A bad choice of words for an already worried woman. "Oh my God, what happened? Is he alright?"

"No, no, Riley, he's fine!" Emily cried, stepping forward to be heard. She was a little surprised as Morgan turned the phone towards her to capture her voice, allowing her to be in the conversation. "He went with an injured victim, she's been missing for a few days and took a bit of a shine to him."

For a moment, Riley could breathe with relief. Not just because her husband was okay, but that they'd found the missing girl he'd been so worried about. The one who'd pulled him into this case in the first place. She knew letting Spencer go to Pennsylvania was good for him, but now there was proof this had been the right choice. Who knows if that girl would be alive otherwise? The baby had started thrashing a bit at Riley's upheaval, just as upset as her mother.

"Oh," she uttered, rubbing her stomach soothingly. "Good... I'm glad you guys found her, Spencer was so worried... anyway, I just wanted to check in with him. Let him know we're alright and make sure he's doing okay. He is okay, isn't he?"

"He's doing just fine, just a little worried about you." Emily assured, figuring it was best to tell her everything. "He'll be happy you called."

"How are you guys?" Riley wondered, "How's the case going?"

"Better now," Morgan answered. "We're still not close to a profile, but we're piecing things together. It won't be long now."

Riley replied, always offering her expertise where needed. "Well, if you guys need any help, you have my number. I'm up most of the night anyway."

"Thanks, kiddo." Morgan answered. "You take care of yourself, we'll look after your Pretty Boy, don't worry."

"Thank you," She said happily. "Tell him I love him and I'll call him tonight."

"You got it, Parker." He answered kindly.

She stifled a giggle, adding sweetly, "And give him a kiss for me."

"Not if my life depended on it." He responded just as sweetly. "Talk to you later."

"Bye," she said and in a moment, the call was ended.

Morgan slipped Reid's phone in his pocket to keep from losing it. He also bent down to grab his coat. "I must say, for being out in the middle of nowhere, there's pretty good cell service here."

"Even Luddites like the Amish can't escape the development of cell towers." Emily noted. She reached to take the coat from Morgan, offering to carry it. "Or anything else for that matter. You kind of have to admire them. Even with the threat of all these conveniences, they hang on to their traditions... they're pretty strong."

"There's a difference between strong and stubborn, Emily." Morgan corrected, meeting her eyes. She couldn't tell if he'd mellowed or just forgot he was supposed to be mad at her.

She cocked her head at him, considering. "Is that a shot at me?"

"Is thinking it's a shot a guilty conscience?" He wondered. The bitterness had returned to his gaze and she wasn't sure if he was about to walk away or explode at her.

Either way, now wasn't the time for a showdown. She had a lot to feel guilty about - especially things she should have told him a while ago - but she deserved a chance to tell her side of the story. And Morgan deserved the chance to hear it.

"We have to stop dancing around this," Emily insisted. "I have a lot that I need to say and you need to hear it. Yes, maybe I should have brought it up sooner, but it's not something I'm proud of... there are things in your past you don't want admitted to the world, right?"

That was certainly the truth. He loved her, he wanted to be with her... and they swore they wouldn't just give up on each other. Love needed a fighting chance to survive. If it didn't, it wouldn't be worth fighting for.

Reaching over, his fingers pushed back a fallen piece of her hair, black as midnight, illuminating her fair face. She was like a goddess, almost unfairly beautiful. She seemed to shiver as he tucked the lock behind her ear, trailing his fingers along her jaw line. For a split second, she flinched as if to kiss him, but held herself back. Morgan did not like that. She never held herself back before.

"Can you come to my room tonight?" He asked. No one else would be able to sense it, but Emily could hear the plea in his voice... he was pleading for her.

She nodded. "I'll tell you everything I promise... and then we'll go from there."

This couldn't be as bad as it seemed, but it still filled Emily with such a fear. She couldn't lose him and wanted to tell him so... but she was too stubborn to admit it. All she could admit was, "I love you."

At that, he finally stepped aside and walked away from her. Her heart ached as she heard each footstep move further and further away from her. "I love you, too," he uttered downtrodden as he started down the stairs. "More than you could possibly know."

Emily turned just to see him disappear out of sight. Her heart pounded so hard, it felt like it was choking her. She was terrified right now. If he didn't accept what she had to say... that was it. She could lose him tonight and the very thought of that hurt worse than a knife in her stomach. It was the thing she feared most in her life. She loved Morgan more than she thought possible; a love so powerful, it was uplifting and crippling at the same time. As she had once said, she'd rather he be killed than to be rejected by him. And there was no guarantee he wouldn't walk away from her now... even if he did love her more than she knew.

* * *

"Come on," Reid carped as he tapped the front of the vending machine. It had dispensed his cup, but so far it remained empty. He knew this coffee wouldn't be very good, but he did paid a whole dollar for it.

A last, after a bit of coaxing, the hot black liquid poured through the spout, filling the paper cup. He waited a moment as it filled itself, followed by the sugar to follow. He claimed it, the heat warming his hand as he stirred it with the offered straw before taking a much needed sip.

"Spence," someone called from down the hall. Of course, Reid knew who it was before he turned. Sure enough, JJ was heading toward him with Rossi a step behind.

The blonde woman took in the sight of her dear friend's state. He looked so cold, probably from riding approximately a half hour in the back of a pick up truck without a coat. Not to mention, his shirt was still stained massively with blood. He looked like he'd been through a massacre.

"Hey," he said in a slightly drained tone. He'd been through quite the ordeal today, his emotions feeling like they were on a roller coaster. The whole bumpy trip back to town filled him with panic, anxious to get their victim medical help as fast as possible.

"What is wrong with you, leaving without your coat?" JJ lectured and crossed her arms. "You're probably going to catch pneumonia now, I hope you know."

Spoken like a true mother. How many coats had she buttoned up over the years to protect her boys. "That's a misconception, Jay, as is going outside with wet hair. A person is more likely to catch bacteria and viruses when kept in close quarters with other people. Since we spend more time indoors during the winter months, illness spreads more quickly."

He took a seat by the waiting area as she rolled her eyes. "That doesn't mean it's safe, Spence." She grumbled as she sat beside him. Rossi decided to remain on his feet.

It was obvious his nerves were edge, however much he was trying to hide it. His knee was bouncing nervously as he leaned to take another sip of his coffee, making a grimace at the taste. "I wouldn't have had time to grab my coat, even if I thought of it. Anna needed to leave immediately and she wanted me to go with her." He looked up to meet JJ's eyes with such a sorrowful glance. "She wouldn't let go of me."

"How is she doing?" Rossi wondered.

He scowled again as he drank some more. Focusing on his coffee seemed to be his way of processing what was happening. For a few moments, taking a drink made him feel like he was busy. Even in the slightest way, doing something important. Sometimes something so pointless could make a person feel useful.

"I haven't heard anything yet." He answered. "I helped the EMTs get her out of the truck and wheel her inside. She was immediately taken to surgery and I was forced to stay back... I just hope she makes it through."

"She's hung on this long." JJ reassured. "I'd say her chances are pretty good."

"Hopefully she does pull through." Rossi noted. "It's very possible she saw her killers face and can describe him. Even if it's just a little, identifying him can't be that hard. This is a small town, someone is going to know who we're talking about. And someone with these kind of impulses can't go unnoticed in a town like this."

JJ considered that. "He might already be an outcast."

"That's if he lives in this town at all." Reid mentioned. "For all we know, he could be from Lancaster or another small town in the area. It could take weeks to pinpoint him. Not to mention, if he knows the FBI's here, he just might change his location to avoid getting caught."

Rossi disagreed. "That's unlikely, Reid. While these kills are thought out, they're incredible violent and without mercy, so the unsub has to be mentally unstable. He's going to want to kill close to home. That's what you claimed in the geographical profile."

"I could be wrong!" Reid announced with a shrug. "I've been wrong before."

"Whoa, Spence," JJ urged, suddenly alarmed. "What's going on with you?"

"What are you talking about?" He partly snapped as he turned to her. "I have no problem admitting when I'm wrong, JJ."

"Of course you don't, when you have proof of it." JJ explained. "When you're working on a theory, you stand beside it until it's no longer viable. You wouldn't just abandon your logic without proof, this isn't like you."

"I don't think your head's in the right place today." Rossi concurred. "Finding that little girl had to rattle you. It would rattle anyone."

His leg suddenly stopped as he looked up to find all eyes on him. They seemed to understand what he was feeling. Taking a few deep breaths, he felt himself confess his feelings, undoing the knot that had settled in his chest since he saw those cerulean blue eyes in darkness.

"She hung on for two days alone in that house." Reid confessed, shaking his head. "She had at least five stab wounds, maybe more... who else could have survived that?"

JJ thought for moment. "You."

He glanced over at JJ, trying to convey it wasn't the same thing. "I was lucky, I was found within minutes of my attack, and if I hadn't, I would have bled to death. Anna had to fight. And if it hadn't been so cold, she never would have made it. What sickens me is that several people were in that house before us; I'm estimating about a half a dozen people. The Adlers and whoever removed the other bodies. How could no one have found her? Or even thought to search the house for her?"

"Who did remove the bodies from the house?" Rossi wondered. "Do we know?"

He thought for a moment. "I'm assuming someone Yoder designated. My guess would be the other ministers of the church. Who else would be equipped to handle the bodies with dignity in this society."

"We should look into that." JJ declared. "We've been wanting to have proper autopsies done, perhaps Yoder will agree to it now."

"He might be more lenient." Reid took another sip. "Mm... I've also requested a rape kit be done on Anna once she's stable and out of surgery. No doubt this... bastard violated her."

His teeth were gritted as he thought what horrid acts this monster may have done to that innocent little girl. It was as evident as the blazing sun. Rossi was just about to mention Reid take the SUV and head back to station, sending Morgan back for them later, when they were suddenly interrupted.

"Excuse me," A middle aged woman in business skirt and heels much too inappropriate for such weather. "The nurses told me I should speak to one of you about Anna Lambright?"

"We're handling her case." Rossi said as he turned around. Both JJ and Reid got out of their seats, ready to face her. Neither had a good feeling about this.

"I'm Abigail Palmer, I'm a social worker from Lancaster and I was sent here for this case." She explained. "And I'd like to know who exactly it was who violated protocol."

Confused, Reid questioned, "What protocol would that be?"

She replied with a very pursed expression, "The protocol that states that any time a minor has suffered a severe physical and/or mental trauma, he or she is to be left in the care of a trained crisis professional such as myself. It allows the child a safe, neutral person to bond with and, as I've learned from one of the nurses, that's already been accomplished."

"Excuse me?" JJ wondered. "How could she have bonded with someone already? She's still in surgery."

"Apparently the agent that came in with her allowed her to get attached to him." She explained. "That's completely unprecedented. He's not trained and, therefore, has no idea how to deal with the child in a situation like this. It's suppose to be my responsibility."

Reid knew he should stay out of this. Government institutions hated having their toes stepped on, and loved to make waves about it when they did. It happened all the time, and the FBI was usually an easy target, but today his nerves were on edge and his brain was running on little sleep. He could neither hold back his temper nor his tongue.

"I'm the agent that came in with her, and I don't think you understand the situation she was in." He cried. "Anna was scared and hurt and alone, she needed someone to help her, I wasn't about to walk away from her and if that ruins your agenda, than that's your problem, not ours."

"Okay, Reid," Rossi urged, trying to pull him away. "Let's take a walk."

"I don't want to," He muttered, never pulling his hardened eyes from the cold woman. "A decent human being does not walk away when a child is in trouble! I may not have your sophisticated training in crisis management, but I've dealt with my fair share of victims. You're no better to attend to her than I am."

"Don't you understand, Agent," the social worker explained. "This girl is now attached to you, she's not going to be able to function unless you're near her. I don't think you have this kind of time if you're investigating a case. Or, is that about the amount of attention the Federal Bureau of Investigation gives its priority cases."

Reid opened his mouth to retaliate, but Rossi forced him to follow him to step off from the scene. "Let me go!" Reid cried as he fought his grip, but it was too strong.

"No, come on, you need some air." Rossi ordered and before Reid knew it, they had turned the corner, removing them from sight. "It's best to let JJ handle that, it's a part of her job after all. The last thing you need is to get reprimanded for offended a local government employee."

Rossi was right and frankly, it was good he'd gotten Reid out of there when he did. He had already begun to lose his temper and it was dangerous when he let himself get out of control. Catching his breath, the two men wandered through the halls around them. Reid finished his coffee.

When his cup was empty, he tossed it in a trash can as they passed by. Noticing his hand shaking a bit, Rossi could keep silent no longer. "So are you ready to talk now? Get some things off your chest?"

"I'm fine," Reid waved it off. "It's just been a rough day."

"It's not just today, Reid." He shook his head. "Any fool would see you're under a lot of stress, and it's perfectly understandable. I know I can't relate to your situation and I'm not going to pretend to, but that doesn't mean I'm not here to listen if you want to talk. Sometimes opening up makes things seem much smaller."

"I'm handling it." Reid muttered as he brushed back his hair, as he did when he was anxious. It was getting a bit lengthy again. Perhaps he should think about a haircut when he got back. Who knows if he'd have time after the baby was born.

"Not very well," Rossi indicated. "You can try to hide it, but it's getting to you. You look like you haven't slept in days, so I can tell this isn't about Anna Lambright and this isn't about leaving Riley. It's something that's been getting under your skin for a while... maybe since you found out Riley was pregnant?"

Reid eyed him carefully. Was he really that transparent? Perhaps it shouldn't be a shock, Rossi had spent plenty of time with him over the years. This was the man who was considered the father of modern profiling. An art form more than a science.

Still, he didn't want to bring up the subject, and played dumb. "There have been a lot of things on my mind since last summer... none of which are relevant now."

"So this has nothing to do with your father?" Rossi asked, with a slight rhetorical tone.

Stopping in his tracks, Reid whipped around to face him. His voice was soft, but he was just as troubled now as he was talking to the social worker. "What would even make you think of that?"

"We did talk about it, remember?" He mentioned, eyeing him carefully, as if waiting for him to lie. "That Sunday in the park, after Riley had been hurt... you mentioned those exact worries that you couldn't protect your family... and you were worried you'd be like your dad. I sense those worries have ripened about as well as milk over all this time."

Shuffling a bit, Reid stared down at the linoleum floor. The sole of his sneaker traced a line of one of the tiles. "I shouldn't be feeling like this... because my father is a good man. He just... he made some mistakes, I understand that now. I've accepted that, and I'm trying to forgive him."

"Forgiveness takes time." Rossi said. "You don't need to rush that."

"But I should be able to," He groaned, looking up. "My dad has been amazing through this, he's been so supportive. He's given me so much advice and related a lot of his experience..." he smiled lightly as he remembered, "we've had some of the best conversations over the last few months, and that's not easy for us to share because I still feel this... awkward bridge between us. I've been grateful for him during this whole process. And he's so excited."

Rossi smiled as he hands found their way into his pockets. "He's looking forward to being a grandpa, huh?"

"You have no idea." Reid cried. "He nearly started crying when Riley and I told him in her fourth month. He's even trying to fly out here so he can be here for the birth. Plus, we've been working out the best plan to present the baby to my mother; that's going to be a very delicate circumstance. I'm glad he's been there for me and I couldn't be happier how involved he is."

The old man considered that a moment, observing Reid like he was a complex painting. "Maybe that's it."

Reid was confused, unsure what he was seeing that the genius couldn't. "What's it?"

He smirked a bit, "I hate to say it, kid, but... maybe you're a little jealous."

"What!" He exclaimed, his voice slipping an octave higher. "I'm not jealous, what exactly am I supposed to be jealous for?"

"Well... your father walked out on you. He wasn't involved with your life, but he's greatly involved in the life of his grandchild. You don't want to feel like that towards your daughter, but initial instincts are hard to suppress sometimes."

He couldn't be angry by that, because frankly, it was an assumption formed entirely by logic. However, it didn't fit the circumstances. If Reid were jealous of his father's desire to be in his daughter's life, why was he so scared? Why were his dreams filled with visions of both his wife and child dying; being killed just inches from him, unable for him to save them. Jealousy didn't seem to fit into the profile.

"I don't think so," Reid shook his head, speaking rationally. "Objectively, it's a valid theory... but I truthfully could not be happier at how involved my father is, at how much he's trying to be a part of our family. I wouldn't want it any other way."

Rossi accepted that and turned to continue their walk down the hall. Reid followed. "Well, it was just a thought. Maybe things will seem a lot clearer after the baby's born... things won't appear so scary."

Reid could only hope.

"Oh, by the way," Rossi said at once as they turned another corner. They'd come to the front entrance, which was not far from the waiting area from whence they came. "Please tell Riley how sorry I am about Strauss. I tried to talk her out of it, but she insisted on speaking with her."

Reid was about to accept his apology when he realized he had no idea what he was talking about for another time during this conversation. "What about Strauss?"

"Oh, I guess she didn't call her yet." He mumbled. He had intended to keep this quiet until after the fact, but he'd expected their section chief to contact her by now. "Strauss and I had a meeting last week about... some sensitive matters."

"Okay," Reid replied. "Why exactly does she need to talk to Riley? This... doesn't have anything to... to do with..."

"Relax, her sniffing around has nothing to do with her breach of ethics by sleeping with her patient." He muttered with a laugh. The others never grew tired of teasing the two about that, especially Reid. Mainly because they knew how much it annoyed him. "That's all I can tell you about it for now, it's a bit classified. Since Riley is a Bureau psychiatrist with the most extensive knowledge on the team, she believes her opinion will be the most valid, even if she is personally involved. But it doesn't primarily involve you, so it's not a problem."

Reid was even more confused than a moment ago. He asked nervously. "I see... so... this about the team?"

Remorsefully, Rossi meet his eyes and gave him an apologetic expression. "In a sense... and I can't reveal more than that, I'm sorry. But it'll turn out alright... one way or another, it's not like we could stay together forever."

Worried, Reid looked away. A knot formed in his chest at the very thought. He shouldn't be so bothered. Ever since he'd found out about Morgan and Emily, he knew their secret would eventually come out. He just wished it didn't have to end so suddenly.

However, there wasn't even proof that's what he was referring to. He was desperate to talk to Riley; now more than ever. It was then he remembered his coat abandoned on the bedroom floor of the Lambright house, with his cell safely tucked inside. He wanted to kick himself, knowing he would miss the call he'd been anticipating all day.

Making it back to the waiting room, they could see JJ wasn't alone. The social worker appeared to have left - or at least wasn't in sight - but a man in light blue scrubs had stepped over to talk to her. Reid recognized him as one of the surgeons and rushed over quickly.

"Doctor," he exclaimed at once, interrupting their discussion. "Is Anna okay? Did she make it?"

He didn't look very confident. Turning to the two men, he took a deep breath. Reid could see how exhausted he looked, having slaved in surgery for so long.

"She made it through surgery, that's the important thing." he began. "We've repaired what we could, but there is only so much we can do right now. There was a lot of internal damage and a lot of blood loss. We have to wait and see how well her recovery goes before we'll decide if we have to go in again. Even if we don't, she has a long road of recovery ahead of her. She is far from being out of the woods."

"How is she now?" JJ questioned, speaking softly.

"She's stable now and resting comfortably." He answered. "With the lack of sleep and nourishment, she's going to be out for some time. At least a day, but we're keeping her comfortable. Does she have any family? Have they been informed?"

"Other members of our team are speaking with them." Rossi answered. "They should be here shortly."

"I did request a rape kit be performed." Interjected Reid. "Has that been collected?"

The surgeon hesitated, "Well... she's been examined."

JJ was amazed. Surely this wasn't the most efficient hospital, but they should know how to handle a felony investigation. "Didn't you collect any evidence?"

He gave a shrug. "I'm sorry, Agents. There wasn't an evidence to collect."

Both bewildered and stunned, all three agents were speechless. That didn't make any sense.

"You're kidding," Rossi said.

"Look, I don't know what you guys were expecting," the surgeon replied, "but we didn't find anything. It might not be something we perform often in this place, but we're no stranger to the procedure. I was there when the doctor performed it and she found nothing."

"Nothing at all?" Reid demanded.

He shook his head in determination. "No tearing, no bruising, no blood, and her hymen's completely in tact. That girl has never been touched, I assure you. Is there anything else you guys need?"

"If it's alright, I'd like to examine her injuries." Reid requested. "Studying how she was hurt could help us tracking down her attacker."

"I can show you her to your room. I've already brought her social worker there, so she may require to be present."

"That's quite alright," JJ said. "We won't be very long."

They glanced at Rossi as they began to follow the surgeon down to the surgical wing. Rossi gave a nod. "I'll call the others and meet you back here. Take your time."

The hall was short and before long, the three were out of sight around the corner. Rossi wondered what Hotch and the others would make of this. Just when he thought they were about to nail down a profile, a monkey wrench was thrown into the works. Almost like the killer was changing his MO to throw them off track. That was possible. In fact, they'd seen it happen before, but Rossi's instincts told him otherwise. There was something else going on here... he just didn't know what.

* * *

The social worker, Abigail Plamer, stood with her arms folded. She leaned against the wall on the other side of the room, eyeing the agents with suspicion. As if they had ulterior motives here.

"Can I ask what you're learning from this, Agent?" She grumbled at Reid, who was still looking over Anna Lambright's injuries. Remaining respectful of the young girl, he cautiously held up her gown to look over the stitches, mindful that her blanket kept her lower half covered. How humiliating it would be for her, knowing some strange man was looking her innocent body over without permission. He wanted to handle her with care.

"_Doctor_ Reid is profiling her." JJ said from a chair near the door. "Each unsub attacks his victims in a unique way. He can learn a lot about this man just by how he hurt this girl."

"Unsub?" The social worker asked, confused.

"It stands for unknown subject." Reid mumbled, his eyes just inches from the stitches and the freshly closed wounds. His latex covered glove brushed over one gently, right next to her little belly button. It was hard to tell after the reconstruction of surgery, but he'd seen these kind of stab wounds before.

"There's a lot of hesitation here." Reid insisted as he stood up. "Every wound seems nearly forced into her, like the killer didn't want to do it... but he knew he had to."

"It could explain why she survived." JJ suggested. "If he was unsure how to strike her, he probably assumed she was dead and left quickly, giving her a chance to hide."

"Plus, most of the others had their carotid cut." He said, swiping a line across her throat. "There's not even a knick on her neck, he didn't attempt to slit the artery at all."

JJ couldn't piece this together. "It's almost like this was his first kill. But he racked up dozens of deaths before even coming to the Lambrights, showing no remorse for any of them. It doesn't make any sense."

"No, it doesn't," He said as he gently pulled the young girl's gown back down. He'd been avoiding looking at her face since he stepped in, trying to remain emotionless... but he couldn't resist any longer. "No sense at all."

Palmer cleared her throat. "Well, this is all very fascinating, but are we done now?"

Reid couldn't help but pull the covers back over her. An attempt to keep her warm. JJ answered for him. "Yes, we've got everything we need."

"Good, maybe when she wakes up, I can repair the damage you've done." She muttered bitterly. "She's in my care now, so unless you have more business to conduct, you needn't worry about her anymore. I'll take it from here."

Nodding, JJ went to step out the door, leaving the social worker to look after their young victim. Before she opened the door, she couldn't help but sense she was still alone, turning around to see what was keeping her companion.

Reid couldn't tear his eyes away from her. She was so small, sleeping like she didn't have a care in the world. She'd probably been sleeping when that monster burst into her room, pulling her awake in the most horrifying way possible. At least he hadn't violated her. A small relief, but certainly a good one.

"Spence," JJ called to get his attention. "We should let her rest."

He wasn't in a hurry to leave. He caught the eye of the social worker, who's attitude softened a bit. "She'll be fine."

Anna was indeed safe here. The unsub was unlikely to get to her here, even if he knew she were alive, and the social worker was at least nearby to keep an eye on her. It didn't make Reid feel any better. He looked her over one more time. She was a very pretty young girl, with wispy brown hair that settled at her hips and gentle features on her face, right at the cusp of becoming a lovely young lady.

He had an unspeakable to urge not to walk out that door. Reid didn't know why, but he felt very attached to her, not wanting to abandon someone who was in such a great need.

But he couldn't stay. Turning slowly, he followed JJ to the door, refusing to look back as they returned to the bright hall, the door shutting firmly behind them.

* * *

By the time they left the hospital, it was after seven. Hotch had called twenty minutes ago to warn them another storm was predicted for that night and the detectives suggested they get to safety before the roads were closed. Reid, Rossi, and JJ went straight to the hotel to meet with the others, ready to turn in for the night.

Pine Clove might do well with tourism, but it didn't have many places to stay for that night. The few motels it had were filled last night with travelers trying to escape the storm. Vacancies had yet to open. The only place that had any room was a rundown lodge the furthest away from the police station. The flickering neon sign was barely bright enough to draw their attention as they pulled into the tiny parking lot. It, too, was nearly filled with cars. They were lucky to get a spot.

The three headed in, spotting Hotch standing in the lobby with Morgan and Emily. There didn't seem to be much talking among the three of them. Hotch himself seemed to have a sour stomach, as if dreading something.

"There they are," Morgan announced and climbed out of the overstuffed armchair he'd been sitting in. "How'd it go at the hospital?"

"Is Anna alright?" Emily questioned, getting to her feet as well, grabbing the two bags that sat at her feet. Reid recognized one as his own, rescued from the police station for him. Now he just needed his coat.

Reid nodded his head solemnly, "She made it through surgery, but she's got a lot of recovery ahead of her."

JJ patted his arm to reassure him. "She'll make it, Spence. She just needs some time."

"Still," he shook his head. "I didn't like leaving her there alone."

"I'm sure her grandfather's with her." Hotch said. "I haven't told her sister yet, but Bishop Yoder was immediately informed. Even if he chose his usual form of transportation, he should have arrived by now. She's not alone."

He supposed they were right, but it didn't settle him. He stared down at his shoes, trying to not to feel so guilty, like he'd already failed that little girl.

"You just need to relax, kid." Morgan said, trying to be supportive. "In fact, I think we all do. Let's head upstairs, change, and go over to the diner there for dinner."

"Yes, about that." Hotch began, unsure how to say this news. It wasn't going to go over well. "There's... a problem with our rooms."

JJ immediately volunteered, sensing the problem "Don't worry, Hotch, I can room with Emily. That way Reid can have his own room. I'm sure Emily doesn't mind sharing a bed with me."

"Um, sharing a bed?" Emily wondered, puzzled.

"This place isn't exactly caught up to the 21st century." Morgan explained. "It's one queen sized bed per room. But... I'm sure you won't take up much room for her, will you, Prentiss?"

She caught his eye for a split second and held back a smirk. So he was definitely giving her a chance tonight, and from the sound of it, he was genuinely hopeful of the outcome. Expecting her to stay the whole night. Already, she was starting to feel better, seeing a light at the end of this horrid tunnel.

"That's... not entirely it." Hotch continued. "I'm sorry to say, thanks to the poor management of this establishment... two of our rooms were given to new guests. Apparently, whoever checked the two of you in last night," he said to JJ and Morgan, "didn't note that we'd be needing those rooms for the rest of the week. I barely managed to get us those last three."

"So we only have three rooms for the six of us?" Emily asked, astounded.

"Wonderful," Rossi admitted. "Looks like we'll be using the buddy system... and not the fun kind."

"I know it's inconvenient, but we'll have to manage." Hotch urged. "So, JJ and Emily will be together, me and Rossi... and Morgan and Reid."

"No!" Morgan whined. "Oh, come on, does anybody want to trade?"

Reid glared at him, "Yeah, I'd like to trade!"

"I'm sorry, kid, but you can't expect me to look forward to sharing a bed with you and your bony ass all night!" He cried, beginning to make a scene.

"Oh, and this is just a dream come true for me, Morgan!" He yelled, just as furious. "Forget about the fact that I could be climbing into the bed with my wife tonight, no I get to fight over personal space with you!"

"Alright!" Hotch roared like an angry lion, breaking up the fight. "Look, this isn't the ideal situation for any of us, but we have to make the best of it. We are professional agents, we're trained how to survive in dire situations and I think sharing a bed with a teammate is much less severe that what others have endured."

"Are you sure this doesn't fall under fraternization rules?" Morgan mumbled, making one last feeble attempt to get his way. Neither JJ or Emily could help but giggle, fighting quickly to stifle themselves.

"Well see if we can get better accommodations tomorrow. For now, I'm asking the two of you to remain professional. Is that understood?" He questioned, glaring at the two of them.

"Yes, sir," they both grumbled, like two fifth graders forced to come to a stalemate.

Hotch was pleased with their retreat. "Good, now if you don't mind, we've all had some a pretty stressful few days. We'll meet back here in a half an hour. Does that sound good to everyone."

All in agreement, they made their way out of the lobby, heading to the massive wooden stair case that lead to the next floor. Before he passed her, Morgan caught Emily's eye. Both knew their plans for the evening were foiled again. This was becoming unbearable.

As they began up to the second floor, Reid rushed past Morgan, averse to his friend's turmoil at the moment. He couldn't believe his luck right now. Maybe he should have stayed at the hospital after all.


	17. Up All Night

"It's not funny," Reid grumbled into the phone, listening to the giggles on the other end. It was late that evening and the BAU team had decided to turn in. As best they could in such cramped accommodations. Right now, Reid was ready for bed in a comfortable pair of flannel pajamas, perfect since the rooms of this lodge had very little heat. It felt like the old apartment in here.

"It's a little funny," Riley tried to quiet her laughter. "Come on, lighten up, it won't be so bad... having to share a bed with Morgan."

She stumbled over the last word as she burst into giggles again. "Ha ha ha, I'm glad you find this so amusing. Frankly, I'd much rather be sharing a bed with you."

"Well, you're probably better off with Morgan if you want to actually sleep tonight." Riley informed as she pulled the carton of apple juice out of the fridge. "With the kicking and the now constant pain in my back, I think I'll be tossing and turning all night."

"Oh," Reid sighed, hating that she was so miserable. "You're not tired at all?"

"Not really, and you think I would be. I spent three hours cleaning this house and it's not even nearly done." She muttered. "By the way, when you get home, I need you to help me move the couch so I can vacuum under there."

"Under... Riley, you don't need to do that. Remember, we just cleaned the house before we moved in." He reminded her. "I don't want you overexerting yourself."

"I'm fine!" She insisted. "And I'm going to bed in a few minutes anyway, or at least going up to bed." She poured the last of the apple juice in the tall glass next to her evening snack: several apple slices smeared with creamy peanut butter. "I thought I'd watch some television and spend some quality time with my unborn daughter."

Reid grinned widely. "That sounds like a wonderful idea." He glanced at the open door of the bathroom, hearing Morgan's baritone gargle. "Much better than mine for the evening."

Riley giggled again. "It's only for a couple of nights, and it won't be so bad. You'd better get some rest, I'm sure you've got a lot of work to do tomorrow."

"I'll call you in the morning, okay?" Reid confirmed. He wasn't exactly ready to hang up, but it was getting late and they both had work tomorrow. Not to mention, Riley had her lecture; she needed to be well rested. Although, if she didn't sleep much tonight, odds were she wouldn't have the same energy tomorrow. He was tempted to point that out to her, but held his tongue. He still had to keep up his end of the bargain

"I'll be waiting," She cautiously glanced out the window over the sink, just peering out of the curtains. It had a good view of the street running perpendicular to theirs, and right now it was dark and clear. The street lamp just caddy corner gave off a sufficient amount of light. Still, she was apprehensive wanting to beg him to come home.

Maybe it was just her imagination, but Riley swore she saw that car again today while leaving the BAU. The light brown one, most likely made in the 80s. She didn't know much about car types, but she'd seen it enough over the past few weeks to recognize it. Of course, the evidence didn't exactly add up. The car wasn't parked remotely near her jeep, not even close enough to see her comings and goings. It had to be coincidence, if it was even the same vehicle, associated with some kind of pregnancy paranoia. Someone was trying to get her attention before and now, with her past history haunting her, she was seeing the signs of a stalker everywhere. Her fears weren't warranted at all and that car meant nothing.

"By the way," Reid exclaimed before they finished their goodbyes. "Have you, um... gotten any interesting, possibly even strange phone calls?"

Riley was so stunned by that comment, she dropped the empty carton onto the brown tile of the kitchen floor. It bounced slightly, toppling on its side. Keeping her voice even, she questioned. "Why do you ask?"

"Rossi told me Chief Strauss is going to be calling you." He explained. "He said he couldn't tell me what it's about, but he was sorry you had to brought into the middle of it."

"Uh... no, I haven't heard from her." Riley uttered, suddenly rather nervous herself. There were only a handful of reasons she would be contacting her when she didn't know why. "You don't think that's about Morgan and Emily, do you?"

Now wasn't the time to get into a real discussion about that. Morgan had just come out of the bathroom, wearing a baggy pair of sweatpants and a sleeveless white shirt, revealing his muscular tattooed arms for the world to see. Reid hunched over a bit, trying to keep their conversation as private as possible.

"I can't say for sure, but I also can't think of another reason." He answered quickly. Riley could tell he wanted to change the subject. "It's getting late, I'd better get to bed. Call me if you need anything."

"I will," she replied. She took on more glance out the window before tugging the curtains closed, not allowing herself to think about that for the rest of the night. She ran a hand down her stomach as she smiled. "We're doing just fine, don't worry."

"I can't help but worry." He corrected. His hand tightly clutched the quilted blanket beside him in an anxious matter. "I wish I was home."

"You will be soon, just keep reminding yourself that while Morgan's kicking you in his sleep." She insisted.

"Why would Morgan kick me in his sleep?" He demanded to know.

She snickered, "Well, Sweetie, you do have a tendency to migrate from your space to mine, he might not enjoy that as much as I do."

"I only do that because you hog the covers! I have to keep warm somehow!" He exclaimed, torn between wanting to laugh and trying not to miss her so much.

Although, he couldn't help but smile again as he heard her laughter again. "Well, I will try to work on that... I love you."

"I love you, more." He responded with such longing. As usual, he waited to hear her end disconnect before hanging up himself. With a heavy heart, he tossed his phone on his bedside table.

Morgan glanced over as soon as the call was over. "Everything okay?"

"Yeah, she's fine." Reid nodded as he climbed off the bed. "I doubt I'll get much sleep tonight, but I guess there's not point in putting it off."

Morgan tossed the rest of his clothes in his bag, not bothering to fold them. Reid's things had been stored in the bathroom and kept much more neatly.

As he glanced at Reid turning down his side of the bed, he couldn't resist but ask. "So Strauss is supposed to be contacting Riley?"

Reid looked over alarmed. He should be bothered Morgan was eavesdropping, but in such a closed space like this, it was excusable. Besides, if he overheard their superior was perhaps discussing on or all of them with someone who wasn't associated with the team, it was enough to be suspicious.

Reid gave a guilty shrug, "That's what Rossi told me, but... he couldn't say why."

"Mm," was Morgan only answer, but obvious he was thinking the same thing. His only condolence was Rossi was one of the few who didn't know about him and Emily (as far as he knew, anyway). If it was about that, surely he'd want to get as much information as possible in order to stop the BAU's tyrant from coming down on them. Any of them.

It was better to change the subject. He was too distraught over his own relationship, he didn't need to worry about outsiders getting involved until the kinks and problems were worked out. Who knew, in a few days, there might not be a problem at all. Just a lot of heartache and a remembrance of what had been.

"I hope I can sleep tonight." Morgan said as he came over to the bed. "I normally can't sleep with my pants on."

"Well, you're going to." Reid ordered with a demanding shine in his eyes. He glowered as Morgan stifled his imperious laughter. He was enjoying making the younger man squirm.

Pushing his distaste aside, Reid climbed under the covers. "There's nothing we can do to fix this, so let's just make the best of a bad situation and try to get some sleep."

"Alright, I just hope my snoring doesn't keep you awake." Morgan sneered, climbing in beside him.

Reid heaved a sigh, grumbling. "Great."

Morgan glanced over his shoulder at him, smiling. "Of course, if it does, you could just do what Prentiss does to get me to stop."

"What's that?" Reid grumbled, but unable to stop his curiosity.

With a Cheshire grin, he answered, "Rolls me over and caresses me on the back."

Rolling his eyes, Reid tried to bury himself under the covers. "Goodnight, Morgan."

"Goodnight, Pretty Boy." He laughed as he reached up to his lamp.

He distinctly heard a muffled "shut up" from inside the covers. He hummed another quiet laugh as he collapsed onto the pillows, hoping to take advantage of the few hours of rest before they were thrown back into the case again.

* * *

It surprising didn't take long for either man to fall asleep. Morgan was more twisted with his thoughts of Emily than concerned with who was in his bed. He drifted off with unsettling dreams of seeing her beside him, with the gorgeous smile that made him weak in the knees. If she never looked at him like that again... he wasn't sure how he'd ever be the same.

The next thing he knew, however, he was jerked awake by the blood curling screams coming from the comatose body beside him.

"Riley!" Reid screamed with his eyes closed. His body twitched violently several times, trying to get him to come out of this, but it was too weak to battle his mind. "Riley! No! God, no! Riley!"

Instantly, Morgan switched on the light, seeing the young man in distress beside him. Sitting up fully, he reached over to pull the young genius from whatever terrifying world he'd found himself in.

"Reid!" He yelled, trying to call over the petrified screams. He jostled him violently to get him to wake up. It wasn't the proper way to comfort someone in a night terror, but right now, Morgan didn't know what else to do. He had to bring him back to Earth. Now. "Reid, come on, wake up! It's not real, Reid, it's just a dream. You need to wake up! Wake up!"

The poor man continued to call out hysterically for his wife, unflinchingly trapped in his own head. Morgan had seen Reid have nightmares before, but never had they contained him so badly. Finally, after almost five minutes, his screams began to quiet as, panting heavily, his eyes slid open.

"It's okay, kid." Morgan soothed as Reid shot upright in a panic. Kindly, Morgan rubbed a comforting hand on his back to get him to calm down. Even here, he could feel the frantic pulse of his heart as he tried to catch his breath.

The world came back to him as his shaking fingers slipped into his hair, the heels of his hands covered his eyes, hiding him from the light. His breathing stammered as he tried not to let his tears get away from him. These dreams were getting worse and worse, each time the deaths becoming more gruesome and more real. The horrors he'd just witness... Riley hadn't even been asleep this time. She'd been wide awake, feeling every sharp, piercing pain as the blood seeped down her legs. She begged and pleaded for Spencer to help her - to save the baby - but Reid could only stand there, too petrified to do anything. To even reach out to her. Finally, his name falling to whispers on her lips, she slipped away from Reid, who knew within minutes the baby would be dead. Reid could do nothing, unable to save them, unable to comfort them... they were just gone, right before his eyes. Not only did they die, but he let it happen... maybe there wasn't anything he could do, but he didn't even try.

"You okay, man?" Morgan asked his breathing began to ease. Reid nodded and climbed out from under the covers, reaching for the glass he'd set on his table.

"I just need some water." He stammered in a meek voice. "I'm sorry I woke you."

Morgan knew when to tease and when to be serious, and he wouldn't even dream of poking fun at the kid right now. "Don't be sorry, Reid. You had a nightmare... it happens."

Yes, it happens. It had been happening much too often. Reid wasn't sure how much more he could deal with this. He was too afraid to go back to sleep now, but he was exhausted. Even if he tried to stay awake, his body wouldn't let him.

"You want to talk about it?" Morgan asked as Reid gulped water down. He almost thought he were trying to drown himself.

He swallowed quickly, gasping a bit as he set the nearly empty glass down. "It was just a nightmare, I'm fine."

"I don't think you're quite as fine as you'd want to be." Morgan insisted. "You were calling out for Riley, so I'm assuming something happened to her in your dream... maybe something to the baby, too?"

Furious, Reid whipped around to look his friend in the eye. "You know, Morgan, the last time I confided in you about nightmares, you couldn't keep your mouth shut about them, so excuse me if I don't want to open up to you and let the rest of our team know about what's going on in my head!"

"Reid!" Morgan cried. "I told Hotch and Gideon about your nightmares because I knew they could help you, it's not like I was gossiping to everyone! Come on, I may tease you and torture you, but I would never do anything to actually hurt you. I swear, Reid, you've confided in me about things before and I never told anyone. You told me about Alexa and all her friends and even when she showed up at your doorstep, I never told the others."

He said, rather matter-of-factly, "She never came to my house."

"It's an expression." He told. "You might feel better if you just talk about it. Even if there's nothing I can do to help, getting it off your chest might relieve the stress."

It sounded like a good idea, and a part of him did want to open up to someone. Riley even told him if he felt he couldn't talk to her, than he should at least talk it out with one of his friends... but it was more than that. Maybe it was back to the belief his mother had put in him years ago. His father was weak, and having these fears and terrors just made him believe he was as weak as that man. He couldn't admit that.

Freud would have a field day with him. Good thing most of his theories had been discredited.

With a gentle expression, Reid looked to his friend gratefully. "I'm okay... maybe when we get home, we can sit down and discuss it, but right now... I'd rather keep my mind off of Riley. The less I think about her and the more I think of the case, the less I'll worry."

He didn't respond at first, observing the young man. Soon, though, he did nod and said gently with a smile. "If you change your mind, kid... I'm here. What's a big brother for?"

Reid's grin was small but genuine. He really loved that Morgan thought of him as his little brother. "Thanks."

They were just about to head back to bed when a knock sounded on their door. Confused, the two men glanced at each other, worried another family had been taken in the night and the cops circling the Amish districts in watch spotted some suspicious activity, discovering the trouble too late.

Morgan jumped up and hurried over to the door. There was no peephole, so he had no choice but to open the door to greet their visitor. Unlatching the lock, he pulled it open, standing in surprise as he spotted Emily.

"Prentiss," he announced, getting an alarmed expression from Reid as well. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know it's after three, but I haven't been able to sleep... can we please talk?"

There were different parts of Morgan that were torn. One part was angry, and would have delighted in sending her away. Another was worried about Reid, and knew he needed to get back to bed. But a much bigger and more desperate part of him wanted to pull her inside.

Turning to Reid, he nudged his head towards the bathroom. "Kid... do you mind giving us a few minutes?"

"You're not serious." Reid muttered, his eyes bouncing from Morgan to Emily and back like he were following a tennis match.

"Please, Reid," Emily couldn't help but beg. "It'll just be a few minutes."

"Most likely," Morgan muttered, hanging his head. His hope from earlier wasn't hanging on too strongly.

She shot him a hurt look as Reid began to argue his point. "It's the middle of the night, can't you guys talk in the morning?"

He waited for one of them to see reason, but he should have known. Emily and Morgan sided with each other so often now, it was like they were were one person. Letting out a scoff, he tossed the remaining covers off his lap, heading into the bathroom. "You guys owe me," was the last thing he said before shutting the door none too quietly.

"We really do." Morgan muttered as he looked back to Emily. He extended his hand before him. "Well, come on in, Prentiss. Let's get this over with."

He couldn't have sounded less enthused by this coming conversation, or perhaps at the hour it was taking place. Cautiously, as if entering the castle of some horrid beast, Emily shuffled in. She looked around, finding a room just like the one she and JJ had shared, only the quilt was different. Green and pink instead of yellow and blue. She'd felt so bad, her restless tossing was definitely keeping her roommate awake, although she was too polite to say anything. Emily knew there would be no other cure for her troubled mind except getting to the bottom of her problems. All of which rested with Derek Morgan.

As Morgan closed the door, he took in the lady while she took in the room. She never failed to stun him, wearing cotton elastic pajama pants that settled comfortable at her waist. To combat the cold, she had on a heavy Yale hooded sweatshirt... or perhaps that had been for other reasons.

"So," Morgan began as he stepped over to the bed. There, he took a seat right at the foot. "We have a lot to talk about, huh?"

"Yes, we do." Emily answered. She turned to face him, wanting the chance to say her peace at last. "There's a lot I need to tell you, and you have understand, it wasn't that I was keeping it from you or that I wasn't going to tell you... I just didn't feel the time had come and, further more, I hadn't even thought about it because... frankly, I put it behind me a long time ago. It took me a long time, but I did it. And I have peace now."

Morgan leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees, his hands folded between them. It was a very deterring pose, as if warding off the woman before him. He wasn't in the least bit open to her.

"If you have peace, then why is it still a part of your life?" He questioned.

"It's not, Morgan!" She cried. "The last time I saw John Cooley... I made it very clear I didn't want him in my life anymore. And I don't. I don't miss him, I don't care about him for anything beyond a memory... you remember your first love. I'm sure you still carry a small torch for her. Mine is minuscule... it's more like a match than a torch."

He forced himself not to be amused by that, remembering how angry he was about this. There was a whole side of her life she hadn't included him in and it certainly wasn't something she turned away from years ago. "Well," he said, sitting up a bit. "It certainly didn't seem done with yesterday morning. In fact, he was acting like the two of you still had a pretty strong connection from what I could see."

Emily was about to retaliate when she realized she didn't have one. That didn't make any sense. Reid was the one who had told her about the man who was here yesterday. Reid, who could recall where you left your gloves three years ago in Tacoma. He would have remembered if it had been John Cooley and even if the impossible happened and he didn't... well, the man he described certainly didn't sound like him.

"What are you talking about?" Emily asked, wondering if this was just a case of mistaken identity. It couldn't be that easy though, that a whole fight had formed over some miscommunication... although fights between them had formed from less.

"The man who was here yesterday morning that Reid couldn't keep his mouth shut about!" He answered, at last getting to his feet. "That was John Cooley. He was looking for you."

While those who opposed the development of technology probably wouldn't have done so, Emily never traveled anywhere without her phone. Thank goodness she didn't, because this would have been a lot harder to prove. Her heart thumping anxious, uncharacteristically praying that she was right, she pulled out the device and quickly looked through her folder of pictures. It took almost a minute, but she dug one out and held the screen up for his passionate brown eyes to see.

"Is this him?" She asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

It was a little blurry, but he nodded, blinded by his arrogance. "If he's not important, why is he in your phone?"

"Because that's not John Cooley!" She exclaimed, nearly yelling at him. "How could you just jump to conclusions about that!"

"You're the one who brought him up!" Morgan argued, yelling almost as loud as Reid had in his nightmare. He should care that Hotch and Rossi were on the other side of the wall behind the bed, but when his temper took over, it was hard to silence the beast. They didn't seem to be disturbed by Reid's nightmare, though. The two star crossed lovers might be safe. "You're the one who said I found out about this Cooley guy, if it wasn't important, why would you think of it?"

"You also lied and said you knew about it!" Emily yelled back, just as furious. "I thought of it because it seemed like the only conclusion why would you be so upset. But, I should have known what an ignorant, hard-headed jackass my boyfriend is!"

"You know what, Prentiss!" He cried, heading towards the door. He reached for the knob about to open it. "Maybe this was a mistake, maybe we can't work this out. You should just go back to your room and we can forget every last thing we ever meant to each other."

"No!" She cried just as he turned the knob. He froze before pulling it open, listening to her desperate tone. "Derek, that is not what we promised each other. Just because we're angry or you think I lied to you or I did keep something from you, that shouldn't just bring everything to an end. We swore we wouldn't let our stubbornness get in the way ever again... if we really love each other, we need to try to work this out. Please don't walk away from me... because I'm not about to walk away from you."

He really hated when she was right. Morgan had no choice. Releasing the knob he slowly turned back around, his face hard with hatred. Hatred for what, she wasn't sure. Probably her... or how much he loved her. She couldn't say she blamed him. Sometimes the person you love the most could sometimes be the person you hate. Anyone who'd ever truly been in love understood that.

"I'll start wherever you want me to." She insisted. She'd barely scratched these old wounds six months ago to help a friend, but it had been enough pain to last the remainder of her lifetime. The last thing she wanted to do was the blood gush from them this time, or ever again... but she would bleed for him.

"Who's John Cooley?" He questioned at once. It seemed the most important at the time.

Taking a deep breath, Emily began. "He was a friend of mine when I was a teenager... and... he was the father of my child."

She normally couldn't look at a person when she revealed this, but she wouldn't dare tear her eyes from his. Who knew what sign she would miss by looking away, the clue to what he was feeling might only be visible for a split second, and missing it could cost her everything.

He wasn't angry, just stunned. "You have a baby?"

Her throat began to tighten as tears filled her eyes. Shaking her head, she stuttered, "No... I never had it."

Taken aback by that, Morgan wasn't quite sure what to say. He knew her well and knew exactly what she meant by that. "Oh," he said as sympathetically as he could.

"It was a long time ago, I was a very young girl." She admitted, stepping closer. A few tears leaked out as she pleaded him to see her reasoning, how he may not agree with her decision, but it was the only choice she had. "I was only fifteen and I couldn't even tell my mother. I didn't know what to do."

As much as she wanted to keep eyes on him, the force was too strong. She looked down for a moment, needing a second to catch her breath and wipe her flowing eyes. She waited for the ridicule or the judgement. Rossi and Riley may have understood, but Morgan was a man who came from a strong religious background, as her family had. Even if he had turned away from his faith, it didn't mean he still didn't agree with the practices.

"You must have been so scared." Morgan shared softly. She hadn't even noticed he stepped into her personal space until his gentle touch brushed her shoulder. "Didn't you have anyone?"

Breathing heavily, she slowly looked up to him. For the first time in days, his anger was gone and looked to her with love. Real love. Despite how he was feeling, he had to be there for her. He always would be. With that knowledge, she was able to press forward.

"I had a friend... his name was Matthew." She explained. "But John... he wouldn't have anything to do with me. He wouldn't even acknowledge the baby was his, he just walked away. He'd been so important to me and then he just... wouldn't even look at me. I felt like a ghost around him. And then Matthew was having his own problems and... well, let's just say I was so happy a few months later that my mother told me we were going back to DC. It was a blessing to get away."

"Did you ever see him again?" Morgan wondered.

She managed to gather herself and cleared her throat. Gaining her confidence back, she continued. "I'm surprised you don't remember. It was a few years ago... when my friend was killed by the priest. All those exorcisms... Matthew was one of the victims. And John was the man we saved."

It suddenly dawned on him. Cases came and went in their lives, it was impossible to remember every single one. The victims and suspects... all the names, they just ended up blending together as the years went by.

"I remember the case, I just... don't remember him." He answered. "Did I even meet him?"

"Probably not officially." She answered. The memory was so long ago, nearly five years. And Emily could hardly recall a time before she and Morgan began to fall in love, like she hadn't started living until he became a part of her life."But I told him it would probably be a better idea we didn't see each other again. And since then we haven't."

Morgan let out a sigh, starting to feel like a major jerk. Why did he always have to let his jealousy and bitterness get the best of him. He backed away a bit, shaking his head. "Were you really planning to tell me this?"

"Someday," she swore. "I wasn't sure when, but... I figured when the time came, I'd know... I guess I was wrong."

He began to pace the room a bit considering. "Is that why you don't want kids? Because you're afraid I'll abandon you, too?"

"No!" Emily cried with insistence. "I already told you, I'm too afraid we'll wind up like my parents. Having kids was something I always planned to do alone... because let's face it, before you, I was alone for a long time. I was good at being alone, and being a parent alone meant I could make decisions for my child that wouldn't have repercussions on another. I know I'm dark and twisted inside, I'm hopelessly cynical sometimes, but three years isn't enough to reverse more than thirty years of her damage... and it would break my heart if I did to you what she did to my father."

Morgan suddenly felt so guilty. "Sometimes the mental abuse can be so much worse than the physical. I'm sorry, Prentiss, but I can't really understand how you feel... my parents really loved each other and my dad was the best in the world, for how ever short a time we got to be together. I get to follow his example and... I don't know, I can't help but imagine us as happy as they were."

"I love that you have that faith in us, and God, I hope we will be." Emily said. "I know you'll be a great father, and if I knew it would work out, I would love to make every one of your dreams come true. I just... I don't know if I can match up to that perfect family you're envisioning."

He grinned and at last came towards her. His smile was gentle and forgiving. Surprisingly, he reached his hands out to her hips and pulled her against him. Emily gasped, but smiled with delight, feeling like the barriers that had been up since Friday had at last been broken down.

"I think you underestimate yourself, Prentiss." He smirked, leaning down to her. Her one hand landed on his shoulder while the other gently stroked his brawny arm, sending tingles through him. "I see what a good person you are... and I'm not the only one. The whole team can see all the good in you, and Riley, and my mother... you might be tough, but there isn't a selfish, uncaring bone in your desirable body. A person like that can't help but be a good mother and a good wife." He paused a minute as he brushed back that same lock of hair again. "When she's ready."

That last comment was enough to fill her relief. "Thank you... I'm sure I'll be ready someday... it's just going to take me some time."

He nodded. "And I should have listened to you about that... and I will give you all the time you need."

Grinning, she reached up to kiss him, but he pulled back just as their lips touched. "Hang on, Princess... you're forgetting one little detail. Who was your little friend from yesterday who for some reason has found a place in your phone?"

She couldn't believe he hadn't figured it out yet. "Have I really never shown you a picture of him before?"

"Uh uh." He answered sternly. He wanted the truth and he wanted it now. "You've never told me anything about him and... I'm sorry, Prentiss, that makes me a little upset. We're supposed to trust each other, and it's hard to maintain that while you keep secrets."

She looked at him with such a sympathetic expression, surprised that even without proof, he hadn't an idea who it was. He was like a puppy after somebody moved his food dish.

Smiling and laughing, she admitted. "Derek... that was my father."

Morgan had no idea what a lobotomy would feel like, but in that moment, he swore he'd just had one. He looked to her, with his eyes bugging out and his jaw hanging dangerously low. Emily licked her lips and folded them back, trying not to laugh.

"You've got to be joking." He answered. He liked the man better when it was an ex-boyfriend.

"I guess I should have expected he show up." Emily admitted. "My mother definitely knows about us. She doesn't have any proof, but she's striving for it and she's doing everything in her power to find it and fix it... as if my life is her responsibility to fix.

"Why get your dad involved, then?" He wondered as he made his way over to the bed. His strong hand slipped into hers and he led her over.

"They don't often agree, on anything. But one thing they do agree on, usually... is what's best for me. If my mother tells my father I'm possibly jeopardizing my career by fraternizing with a teammate... they'll band together to stop it and get me back on track."

"Prentiss, you're almost forty... don't they think by now you can run your own life?" He demanded to know.

"Doesn't your mom step in and try to force you into decisions." Emily wondered. "Hasn't she been pressuring you to come home and give her grandchildren for years?"

"Yeah, since I moved here." He answered. "And grandbabies... that's been going on for decades."

"Exactly. Well, my parents have a lot more money and a lot more power and therefore, a lot better chance of controlling my life. My mother's even trying to get me kicked out of my apartment and, my landlord may like me as a tenant, but everyone has their price." She replied. "I don't intend on ever giving you up, but they could make life for us very difficult for a very long time until they finally accept we won't give in."

With one of his devilish grins, Morgan sat down on the bed again. This time, his pose remained wide and open. A very welcoming approached. Gently, he guided her over, his hands landing on her shapely hip as he guided her to sit beside him.

"They can do their worst." He growled. His arm slipped around her waist and pulled her close. Leaning into her, he looked deeply into her eyes and said in the softest voice. "I'm not giving up my girl for anything."

Lightly, her fingers toyed with the low collar of his thin cotton shirt. The beat of his heart was just under her fingertips. She felt the urge to tear this shirt away and press her lips lovingly right on that spot; to savor the powerful strength just beneath her kiss.

"So... I'm still your girl?" She asked with the slight raise of his eyebrows.

"Emily..." he uttered in that breathy tone that made her body quiver like a tuning fork. "You have always been my girl... and no matter what, you always will be."

With that, no more words were needed. Forgetting there were rules to follow and dangers among them, Emily reached up to kiss him. It was sensual and erotic, something they hadn't shared since long before Friday. Their previous discussions and stalemates were forgiven and forgotten, and there was nothing left but to show how much they still loved each other. And no matter what choices they made, always would.

Emily climbed up onto the bed, kneeling beside Morgan a moment before moving to straddle his lap. With a heavy pull, she managed to pull from his hungry lips, slipping her hands around the hem of her sweatshirt and lift it over her heard, proceeding to throw it aside. She'd worn it as a precaution, knowing if she appeared in nothing but the flimsy tank top she had hidden underneath, he could easily manipulate her into bed, putting any real discussion off further and further. There was no fear now. Once the garment was out of sight, she gently brushed his jawline as she smiled, wide and happy, pulling a similar one from the man beneath her. Slowly, their lips blended together again, much more gently this time.

They were suddenly disturbed as a door opened. The light from the bathroom bathed over them as Reid hurriedout, tucking his dress shirt into his corduroys.

"Alright," he announced, almost as if they were too distracted in their task to hear him. He grabbed his cell from the dresser and stuffed it in his pocket, not daring to leave without that again. "I'll see you guys at the station in the morning."

"Reid!" Emily cried in amazement, jumping off her boyfriend's lap. "I'm so sorry, we completely forgot you were in there."

"Yeah," he muttered in a monotone as he grabbed his sneakers from beside the door. "I figured. Just give me a moment, I'll be out of your hair."

"What are you talking about?" Morgan demanded to know, also getting to his feet. "Where are you going, it's three in the morning."

"I know what time it is," he uttered as he sat down and, as quick as anything, pulled on his sneakers, tying up the laces with his nimble fingers. Once they were secure, he went for his gun and badge, knowing better than to leave either behind. "But you guys want to make up and I don't want to stand in your way."

"Oh, Reid, I'm sorry," Emily uttered. "I'll go back to my room, you don't need to leave."

"No, it's okay." He shook his head, not looking at either of them.

They both took that as a sign of resentment from the younger man. He wasn't easily offended; Reid did have a thick skin. But once he was pushed over the edge, his hurt turned into a grudge of pure black sludge, difficult to rid him of.

"Reid, come on. It's the middle of the night. Prentiss is going back to bed, so you should to. Go back in there and put your damn pajamas back on and stop acting like a baby."

"I'm not acting like a baby!" He cried, a little too loudly he figured after the fact. He turned to his friends, wishing they would understand without him having to say. "It's fine, you guys enjoy the rest of your night."

Morgan wasn't in the mood for this. If he wasn't going to be with Emily, he and Reid were going back to sleep. Either way, he was getting into that bed within the next few minutes. "Just what do you plan to do at this hour, sleep in the lobby?"

His mind was so twisted at the moment, still reeling from the dream he'd had, he wasn't exactly sure what his plan was. But he did know where he wanted to go. "I don't know, but it's nothing you need to worry about. It's not about you guys; okay? I'm not leaving because I'm mad." He admitted, looking to both his friends with absolute veracity.

"Then why are you leaving?" Emily wondered. "It's cold out, Reid."

"And a storm's coming." Morgan added. "If you need to be up for a while, we'll keep you company. We could talk."

Reid knew what he was hinting at, but he couldn't even come to terms with it by himself, let alone with two other people. "No... I need to be alone. It hasn't started snowing yet, so I'll be fine. And anyway, I don't feel much like sleeping, I need to... clear my head." He gave a sad smile. "You guys enjoy your night together."

"You sure you don't want us to come with you?" Emily asked with care. Just like Morgan, she hated seeing her friend in this pain. They both were anxious to help, but couldn't without at least knowing what it was.

He nodded, grabbing his coat. "I'm sure. I need to be alone, but I'll see you guys in the morning."

They had no other choice but to agree. They couldn't force Reid to stay, unless they got the whole team involved and that wouldn't be fair. Besides, Reid was a grown man. If this was how he chose deal with what was bothering him, then that was that. He wasn't hurting anyone.

"Call us if you need anything." Morgan ordered.

"I will." He said and grabbed his shoulder bag. Without looking back, without another word, he slowly stepped out the door. It closed softly, and the two were alone.

"I hope he's okay." Emily uttered, watching the door a few moments more, contemplating if perhaps they should go after him. Or maybe follow him.

"He'll be alright. Reid's mind... I don't even think he knows how it works a lot of the time. He's going through a lot right now and he needs to process that in his own way, the best thing to do is just... let him be. At least for tonight."

Perhaps he was right. Her thoughts lingered on her friend for a moment, wishing the answer to helping him would be oh so obvious. They began to waver, however, as a hand wrapped around her waist. The strong body moved behind her, his other hand brushing her raven hair aside in order to kiss her neck. She couldn't help but gasp as he pulled her against him.

It wasn't the wisest decision. Even in a modern hotel, being together while on a case was dangerous, knowing how easily they could be caught. But his embrace was so warm and she had missed him so much and he smelled so good. As her eyes fell closed and she let out a sigh; her control was slipping away and there was no chance of getting it back.

There was such a freedom when a person finally decided to give in. A weight lifts from the shoulders and for a moment, there is a sense of absolute peace. At last, with a smile, Emily turned and kissed Morgan fully, moaning lightly as he brought her soft body right against his.

He guided her over to the bed, pulling his lips from hers as he laid her down. Her heart was thumping as he covered her, grinning rather cheeky as he lifted her arms over her head. One strong hand fit perfectly into hers. His other brushed the hair from her cheek, and took a moment to drink in her beauty.

"I love you." He whispered.

It was simple sentence, one she'd heard many times before. But tonight, it sounded more like a confession. Like he'd been holding on to a secret and the effort of that was paralyzing. She sighed at first, folding back her lips as they spread into a smile. Reaching up, she pressed a tender kiss on his cheek. "I love you, too."

He grinned with innocence and joy for a moment, but that beast inside him was taking over again, now with a much different agenda in mind. He held onto her tightly as he buried himself in the soft flesh of her neck, taking joy in the gasps and squeals she admitted as he marked her as his. A nick on her neck was nothing close to what he wanted to give her, but for right now, it was all she'd accept. Someday, though, he would do better... just as it was planned.

_"Awe," Emily sighed as she flipped a page in the album. "Look at the little guy! Was this Halloween?"_

_Des laughed as Sarah explained. "Actually, no, that was the first day of kindergarten. Derek wore that outfit every day for almost a year... he thought he was Batman."_

_All three of the girls were laughing hysterically, huddled around the Morgan Family Photo Album. It was getting late, and the lake effect snow was falling steadily outside. The room was dark but for a few lights, wanting to keep the glow of the newly decorated tree center stage. Surrounded by warmth and the love of family, it was a truly magical Christmas Eve. It was even better this year, the family getting to share it with Emily. Morgan couldn't remember her ever looking so happy, really seeming to fit in with them._

_"Fine, go ahead and laugh!" He grumbled, sitting back in the biggest armchair in the living room. He turned to his mother, with his usual pouty boy expression. "I'll remember this Princess, because I've got a few humiliating stories of my own about you."_

_"Take it easy on him, girls. It is Christmas." Fran Morgan said as she stood up. She started cleaning up the coffee table, gathering the empty cocoa mugs and plates of cookies. "I think you've humiliated your brother enough for one day."_

_"Hey, Emily needs to learn he's not the smooth-talking player he thinks he is." Des insisted, flipping the heavy page of the photo book. "There was a time he was a downright nerd."_

_"Believe me," Emily muttered as she swallowed the last of her hot chocolate. "I know he's a nerd, he doesn't hide it as well as he thinks he does."_

_"Boy, isn't that the truth!" Sarah added._

_Fran came around the table, picking up napkins the girls had used and abandoned. "Here, Emily, if you're finished, I'll take that cup from you."_

_"Oh," She said, looking up to her. Handing her the mug, she said kindly, "thank you."_

_Watching her for a moment, she asked in a gentle tone that made Morgan watch in question. "Is there anything else you'd like, Dear?"_

_Taken aback a moment, Emily replied,"Uh... no, thank you so much, Mrs. Morgan. Everything's been absolutely wonderful."_

_"Thank you, and please, Emily," she insisted, picking up the heavily stacked tray. "Call me Fran."_

_Emily obviously wasn't used to someone being so nice to her. She'd met Morgan's mother once before, but that had been during a crime investigation, trying to clear her son's name. That time, the air between them hadn't been tense and worrisome. This time she welcomed Emily as a gracious hostess should. At least she had earlier... Morgan noticed something had changed about his mother since the morning. She wasn't treating Emily much like a guest anymore._

_In fact, Morgan was the only one who noticed how his mother's eyes lingered on the raven haired girl a moment longer than they should have. There was a glisten of tears in her eyes as she gazed down at her... he swore there was a loving expression on her face... mixed with just a bit of sadness._

_Something was going on. His mother had been different since she left the kitchen in a rush. She disappeared to her room for nearly an hour and when she came back, she went straight back to work on Christmas Eve dinner. Acting like nothing was wrong, even when Morgan questioned her. She pretended like nothing happened at all._

_She wasn't going to get away from it this time. Standing up, he picked up the plates his mother wasn't able to carry, listening to the girls jabber on, turning back further and further into the book._

_"I glad you girls are having fun." He muttered, feigning bitterness. "You're supposed to be on my side, Prentiss."_

_"I am on your side." She giggled, looking up and batting her eyelashes at him in an innocent matter. "Although, these pictures of you in your first bath are too adorable. I wonder if I should take these to show the team when we get back."_

_He started heading towards the kitchen. "Don't push me little girl, I'll whip your butt if I have to."_

_"Not in your mother's house, you won't!" She called out as he disappeared from sight. Sarah turned the next pages, falling back further and further into the life of the Morgan Family. Older photograph's came into view, and Emily's eyes landed on another man... she stared at it for a long time, trying to make herself believe it was her boyfriend._

_"That's not Derek, is it?" Emily asked, squinting down at the picture. It was too blurry to be sure, but it looked exceedingly like him. He was dressed in a tux... perhaps his prom?_

_Sarah was staring down at it sadly, unable to say a word. Des, who'd been taking a long drink of her cider, came over to look. "Oh... Daddy."_

_"That's our father." Sarah insisted, looking over to Emily with a saddened expression. "He does look a lot like Derek, doesn't he?"_

_"It's remarkable." Emily uttered quietly. People always tried to be as respectful as possible, when talking of the remembered dead. "Derek talks about him sometimes, but... I never saw a picture before. He's very handsome."_

_Des leaned on her sister, both thinking about their late father. Of all the memories and moments he missed in their lives. It hurt to remember, but it was also wonderful... thinking of all the love once shared._

_"He was a really wonderful man." Des uttered, tears filling her eyes. "Derek never wants to hear it, but... I know Daddy would have been so proud of him."_

_"I think he would have liked you, Emily." Sarah said knowingly as she looked to the girl on her other side._

_She couldn't help but blush. "Really?"_

_"Oh, yeah." She uttered. "I remember Daddy saying how Mama whipped him into shape... every man needs a good woman like that. And you have obviously whipped Derek the way a woman should. And considering how much he is like his father... that's no easy task."_

_She chuckled lightly, but her eyes lingered on the photo once again. The man who looked so much like the man she loved. Morgan always talked so fondly about his father. She knew how badly he wanted his father to be proud of him. Emily knew he needn't worry. Morgan was an incredible man, the kind any good father would want for a son. He would be very proud indeed._

_Meanwhile, Morgan stepped into the kitchen to join his mother. She was standing at the sink, her eyes closed a moment as she gathered herself, trying not to cry. Something was obviously troubling her._

_"Mama," Morgan said as he slowly stepped over._

_Startled, she opened her eyes and tried to cover herself. "Derek," she smiled as she started to set the dishes into the sink. "You didn't have to help me, Sweetheart."_

_"Mama, what's going on?" Morgan asked, setting his handful of saucers onto the counter._

_She hesitated a moment, clearing her throat. "I don't know what you're talking about."_

_"Come on," He cried. His mother never kept things from him before. He didn't like her being so secretive. "You've been acting strange since you stormed out of here this morning."_

_She looked at him, stunned. "I didn't storm out."_

_"Well, you certainly left in a rush." He said. "What is it... do you not like Emily? Does she... bother you? Are you still upset about what happened a few years ago? Because she was just doing her job."_

_"Oh, Baby," she exclaimed, turning to face him. "Don't even think that... I think Emily's a wonderful girl. She's beautiful and smart and a lovely person... I know you love her very much and I can see how much she loves you."_

_Morgan was confused, "Then what's bothering you?"_

_She let out a sigh, shaking her head. "I was going to put this off until tomorrow, but..." she stepped away, going to a small cabinet beside the refrigerator. "I suppose now is as good a time as any."_

_He watched as she opened the little door, reaching in. That was the spot she kept more precious items. Her coffee can of emergency money, her passport, anything she wanted to keep hidden but close by in case of emergency. In a moment, she pulled something down that was small enough to be hidden in her hand. Closing the cabinet again, she turned back to her son._

_"Here." Fran took his hand and placed the item inside it._

_Confused, Morgan opened his hand and found a small worn jewelry box. Carefully, he cracked it open and gasped as he spotted what lay inside._

_"Mama," he exclaimed. "This... this is your engagement ring."_

_The smile she gave him was bittersweet. "This ring has been passed down in our family since your great-grandfather gave it to your great-grandmother, on to your grandparents to your father who gave it to me. It's always gone to the first boy in the family to get married... you're our only son, Derek. I've always known this ring would someday go to you... at least, I hoped so."_

_"But, Mama, I didn't ask for this." He argued and tried to give it back to her. "Emily and I... we haven't even talked about marriage or... decided what we're going to do in the future."_

_"But you will." She insisted. "I see the path you're on, Derek. And this is not just a hopeful mother wanting her son to settle down. I've never seen you like this before. Emily has changed you."_

_She shook his head in disbelief. "How can you tell that?"_

_"Derek Morgan, don't you act like I don't know my own son." She waved a dangerous finger at him, as if she were reprimanding that mischievous 12-year-old all over again. "I've been talking about grandbabies since you were seventeen-years-old. That's a very long time, young man. But today..." she paused, her eyes welling with tears again as she shook her head in disbelief. "Today was the first time I said it to you... and you didn't act like you wanted to run for the hills. Only an amazing woman could you make you feel differently. Just like I did for your daddy many years ago. Too many I care to admit."_

_Morgan was right. He often thought about his future with Emily. He'd never admit it, unsure what her reaction would be, but the thought of sharing a life with her... getting married, building a home, having babies... it filled his heart with so much warmth. There were so many complications standing in the way of that, but if they could someday break through them... that future looked very bright._

_"Are you sure you want to give this to me now?" Morgan asked his mother carefully. "It might be a long time before I can ask Emily to marry me... you sure you don't want to hang on to your ring?"_

_"It's not mine anymore. It's Emily's." She corrected. "It's hard for me to let it go... I feel like it's the last piece I have left of your father, except for you three. But everything has it's time, and now you have it for when you are ready. I love you both so much and I know you'll be as happy as your father and I were... it might have ended too soon, but I wouldn't trade a second of the life we had together. I hope you'll be that happy, too."_

_At that, she pulled her son into a warm embrace. Morgan clutched his mother tightly. It didn't matter how old he got, he always needed her love and support. A boy always needed his mother._

_"Don't you dare wait too long, though." Fran demanded. "I want those grandbabies."_

_"You'll get them." Morgan promised, clutching her tighter. He'd said that to her before, but it was the first time in his life he not only meant it... but truly wanted them, too._

* * *

The hospital was quiet when Reid arrived, bundled up tightly. The snow hadn't started yet, but the air was frigid. The halls were comfortable and warm, and the sterile smell was to a lesser degree. What small towns lacked in quantity, they made up for in quality.

Making it to the surgical recovery ward, Reid remembered the direction to Anna's room, feeling no need to check in at the nurses' station. He intended just to stop by. Just to poke his head in and see how the young girl was doing. Then he'd go to the station - hopefully before the storm - and keep working on the case. He owed it to her. Sadly enough, the more he concentrated on Anna, the less he thought of his wife.

The door was closed as he arrived, which didn't surprise him. Bishop Yoder was probably spending the hours praying by his granddaughter's bedside. He didn't wish to disturb him, but it would only be a minute. And it would at least show Yoder that he and the others cared. Knowing that, he might be more inclined to help more, and have his people help as well.

He knocked carefully, not wanting to disturb the decorously quiet halls. "Bishop Yoder," he said quietly, pushing open the door to be heard.

Maybe the news his granddaughter was alive was enough comfort to let him get some sleep. When no one answered, Reid made a big enough wedge to peak inside. Taking a look around, however, he saw the only soul in the room was the patient, her head lolled to one side, breathing steadily. The machines attached to her beeped with the easy rhythm of her heart. Slow, but steady.

That was odd. Perhaps he'd stepped away for a moment. Closing the door again, Reid walked the path around the corner to desk. There, he found two of the nurses, chattering without a thought as they drank from plastic take-out cups and looked over charts.

"Excuse me," Reid said, grabbing their attention. "Uh... the patient in room 17, do you know where her grandfather is?"

They both stared at him blankly for a moment before the older one with dark brunette hair asked, "Who is the patient in 17?"

"The teenage girl, Anna Lambright." Reid explained. "She suffered a trauma and was operated on yesterday afternoon. Her grandfather is an elderly Amish man, you wouldn't be able to miss him."

"Amish," The other one said. Younger, with strawberry blonde hair that didn't look natural. "Yeah... we haven't seen anyone like that here tonight."

"Oh," he answered, surprised. "Well, perhaps you just didn't see him."

"We've both been doing our rounds every 15 minutes and neither of us have seen anyone like that." The blonde explained. "He's not here."

"Anna Lambright hasn't had any visitors?" Reid questioned.

"Not that we know of." The brunette explained. "Although they may have snuck in like you did; I don't recall seeing you here before, sir."

He pulled out his badge, allowing the two women to see. "My name is Dr. Spencer Reid, I'm investigating a case here in town, I brought Anna in with the paramedics this afternoon. What about her social worker?"

The blonde grabbed the visitor log, tracing a line down the list of signatures. "Uh... she left about 9:30... she left a note for the morning shift to say she'd be back around 10 tomorrow."

So Anna had been all alone for almost the entire night. Not even her family was here for her. He knew what the others had said, that she was asleep and wouldn't even know if someone were here. But something about it didn't seem right, leaving that innocent child alone. Not when she'd been that way for two days, and no one even bothered to search for her.

He grabbed the blue ball point pen beside the clipboard and quickly signed his name, indicating who he was visiting and time of arrival. "If anyone from the Pine Clove Police Department calls, could someone please come get me?"

"Sure," the blonde said carefully, glancing back at her co-worker. "You know Anna isn't supposed to wake up for a while. She doesn't need someone to be with her."

That was one thing Reid had learned over the years. Even when he was badly injured and could barely make sense of the world around him, knowing there was someone by his side made things better. Hearing JJ's voice as he drifted in and out of consciousness, hearing Hotch call out to him in the ambulance, smelling Riley's perfume as he fought to hang onto his life... it meant something to know someone was there. Anna had lost a lot in the last few days, and the person she was supposed to have was nowhere to be found. She was all alone... she deserved to have someone, too.

"I know," was all he said as he gave a crook of a smile to the nurses and headed back down the hall.

He didn't bother to knock this time, but he did take his time entering. The room was darkened, with a small security light by the bathroom. Stepping in, he carefully closed the door, shutting out the rest of the world.

There were two chairs beside the bed, which was were Reid deposited his bag and coat. Taking a seat, he pulled the other one just a few inches closer, a matter of feet from the bed.

Without a word, his hand traveled over slowly. It was almost like he were afraid he was overstepping his boundaries. His hand slipped into hers and clutched it warmly. The same hand he'd held for nearly a half hour in that house early today, helping her hang on. It was much warmer now. Her whole body had gone from blue to a sickly gray color. He tried not to think it, but she didn't look so good.

He watched her face as she slept. She didn't appear to be in pain. Her eyes fluttered fiercely, her breathing was heavy and full with the slightest whimper behind each exhale. Every now and then, she let out a barely audible sigh and she'd lick her lips a bit. Riley was right. There was a lot more to sleep than closed eyes and heavy breathing.

Stroking her hand gently with his thumb, he sat back in his chair, getting comfortable for the night. He had no intention of leaving until he had to. He knew he was doing this for Anna, but there was another part that was doing this for himself, too.

* * *

The TV glowed brightly in the darkness of the room. It was late and Riley had a busy day tomorrow. Sleep seemed to be evading her. Judging by the amount of activity in her abdomen, she wasn't the only one.

"Okay," Riley said as she continued to stroke her belly gently. "Now the man who's talking, that is Dr. Shepherd. Everybody calls him McDreamy, and he's a lot like your daddy. He's very smart and sweet and he has a great hair."

She paused to reach over for her glass of apple juice, taking a sip. Setting it back down, she continued. "And that other guy, that's Dr. Sloan, or McSteamy. Now he's a lot like how your Uncle Derek used to be before he fell in love with Aunt Emily."

The familiar urge hit her yet again and Riley let out a groan. She'd just gotten the pillows just right behind her back and now she had to get up again. Wiggling out of bed made her feel like a struggling turtle stuck on his back.

Her bare feet hit the cold floor and she shivered a bit. She was a bit cold tonight, which was a welcome change from sweltering hot.

"Sweetheart," she uttered as she waddled to the bathroom. "I don't mind the kicking so much, but I wish we could cut down the bathroom breaks. This is getting very old."

She chuckled a bit as the baby tapped back in a playful response, brushing her belly again. She paused and gasped as she felt a pulsing spot close to the top. A steady and even rhythm, thumping continuously. Her eyes welled up a bit as she rested her palm over it. Her precious daughter's heart beat.

Riley was scared about what would happen in their life. Deathly scared. But right now, she knew she loved her daughter, more than she ever thought possible, and sharing this experience together was the greatest thing that ever happened to her. As for the future... she wasn't sure how she'd feel, but she would do anything to hang on to this feeling. Hopefully, it wouldn't be as hard as she feared.

A few moments later, Riley returned back to the bedroom. She let out a yawn, ready to crawl under the warm covers and try to get some sleep. She didn't want to be exhausted during her lecture tomorrow. No doubt, this burst of energy wasn't going to last much longer.

She listened to a commercial as she reached for her juice, taking a long drink to empty the glass. Swallowing, she sighed as she savored the last of the delicious flavor.

It happened just as she set the glass down. Suddenly, a sharp constriction rippled through her stomach. A sudden cramp that charged it's way through her whole body, unlike anything she'd felt before.

"Ugh," she moaned as her hand landed on her abdomen, the cramp getting stronger. Her other leaned on her bedside table in order to brace herself. Her eyes scrunched tightly to help endure the pain, nearly forgetting to breathe. "Oh, ow..." she forced out in a breath.

At last, the pain ebbed away. It hadn't even lasted a full minute. Slowly but surely, it waved away into nothing and at last, it was gone. As if it had never been.

But it had been. Even a first time mother like Riley knew what that pain meant. These last six months had been filled with all kinds of new pains and sensations, but this had been something she'd never felt before. It felt much too serious to ignore.

Carefully, she eased her body on to the edge of the bed, the mattress sinking a bit from her weight. Her arms cradled around her rounded stomach as she sat there. Riley's heart pulsed intensely in her chest and tears welled in her eyes as she waited to know if the moment had come at this, the worst of times.

Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. She was too afraid to move for fear it would happen again. When a half hour was behind her, she let out a thankful sigh, relieved. The inevitable hadn't reached her yet, but that contraction had been a sign there wasn't much time left. Hopefully, Spencer would be home soon.


	18. Near Labor

_The thunderstorm was raging outside, roaring and rumbling across the sky. Intermittent flashes illuminated the house, the only source of light they'd had until morning, a result of the mighty storm._

_Reid finished in the bathroom and left, now ready for bed. He wanted to rush right into bed, but in the darkness he was mindful not to stub his toes. Once safely on the other side, he eased under the covers, nestling close to the awaiting body beside him._

_"There," Riley whispered as she wrapped her arms around him. Reid held her in return, his one hand landing on her little belly. He caressed it lovingly as she rested her head on his shoulder. "That's better."_

_"Our first night in our new house." He whispered, a little excitedly. Although his anxiety wasn't easily hidden. "It's just our luck the storm knocked the power out."_

_"It'll be back on by morning," Riley assured. Her hand snaked up to brush his cheek. His eyes slowly adjusted to the darkness and managed to find her gaze. "I know you don't like the dark."_

_His voice was low, as if afraid he might be overheard. "It's not just the dark, it's a spooky empty house in the middle of a thunderstorm. I've read many stories that start in just this setting, not to mention the classic horror films."_

_"Spencer, there's nothing to be scared of." Riley assured, yet she couldn't resist teasing a little. "Unless the reason we so easily got the house is some dark secret it holds."_

_"Stop it," he mumbled. His eyes darted around a bit, as if checking for unseen eyes.  
_

_"It makes me think of that part in Paranormal Activity 3... when the babysitter's sitting at that kitchen table and the demon's wearing the sheet right behind her until it collapses to the floor."_

_With a panic hiss, he answered, "That, while a fabricated, fictional incident, is not a subject I'd like to discuss right before we go to bed."_

_Riley couldn't stop laughing. Her nose pressed against his cheek, warm from his slight embarrassment. "You're so cute when you're scared."_

_"I'm glad you take such amusement in this." He fussed with a slight pout._

_"I'm sorry," she laughed and he shivered a bit as her warm, minty breath brushed along his skin. "I don't mean to hassle you... I just can't resist you when you're vulnerable; you're so adorable."_

_With a playful glare, he reached down and stroked his hand along the small of her back, feeling the soft cotton of her form fitting t-shirt. Gently, he managed to guide her onto her back, rolling as close to her as possible. The bigger she became, the harder it was to put her into a quick submission. Her condition made her body so delicate. The fact he could guide her so easily like this said how much she trusted him, allowing him to take control._

_He whispered as he pressed a kiss below her ear. "You're just trying to take advantage of me in my sensitive state, as if being in bed with you wasn't enough."_

_She giggled as he lightly bit the flesh of her neck; she was unable to resist a breathless sigh as he suckled the spot over. His hand slid up her curves until it landed on the top of her distending stomach, massaging it over._

_Reid was feeling much safer now. The evils of the world could not penetrate the sanctuary of their martial bed. He sat up to meet her eyes again, continuing to stroke down the ever growing curve._

_Brushing back the tendrils of lengthening hair, Riley exhaled deeply. "I can't believe we're finally here. The first night in our new home."_

_He paused as he felt a tenuous tap right under his palm. The baby was starting to kick more and more, beginning to strengthen its muscles._

_"I know," he answered, meeting her eyes. "We're going to be so happy here. It won't be perfect, but we're going to have such a good life."_

_Her hand rested over his, smiling widely. "Well, it's been pretty good so far... do you think we're going to miss it?"_

_"What?" Reid wondered._

_"Our life... from before." She answered carefully, her fingers entwining with his as she continued to brush his cheek. "Before the baby... living in that little apartment, needing to cuddle close at night just to keep warm." He looked at her quizzically and she laughed. "Well, not just to keep warm."_

_As he smiled, Reid gave her hand a loving squeeze. "I'm sure we will some days. When the stress of the kids and the mortgage and daily life starts getting to us... we'll look back on that time fondly... how easy and blissful it was. But it's good we're moving forward. My life stood still for so long... and I never realized how bad it was. I thought I was happy... and then I met you and I suddenly realized how much I was missing... and I knew I wanted. Now we're going to have it."_

_She looked at him significantly for a moment before asking, "Kids?"_

_"Well," Reid grinned, slightly modest."I often hope we'll have two... maybe even three."_

_As another tap knocked against their joined hands, Riley let out an exasperated sigh. "Whew... it's a little soon for me to think about that... I don't even know how I'll do with just one."_

_"You're going to be wonderful." He promised. "And I'm not saying we need to have any more... having the two of you is a dream I never even knew I had."_

_Her face lit up at that. A flash of lightning illuminated her bright, wide eyes. The usual sparkle of dust dazzled him. She opened her mouth, just seconds from saying a phrase he'd heard many times over many years and always longed to hear once more._

_Instead, however, she let out a shriek as a boom of thunder rocked them. Instantly, Riley clutched at him, burying her face in his shoulder._

_Reid had been startled, but not as badly as she. She continued to cling to him, trembling with fright from the instant shock. It was hard not be amused as he held her close._

_"It's alright, Sweetheart," he soothed with a snicker. "There's nothing to be scared of, you know."_

_His chuckles erupted as she met his eyes with a jocular glare, hating how the tables had turned. She giggled, however, as he met her lips with his. The two went on laughing and kissing as the storm roared on._

Reid snorted as he sprang back to life. Someone was jostling his arm, calling softly to get his attention.

"Sir," a young blonde nurse he hadn't seen earlier asked as she shook his shoulder. Reid blinked through his grog, trying to remember where he was. It took nearly a minute for last night to come back to him. The nightmare, talking with his friends, and then leaving in the middle of the night, all leading him to here, in Anna's bedroom in the hospital. He wasn't sure when he'd fallen asleep, but he did know that was the first time in weeks he hadn't had a nightmare. In fact, despite the crick in his neck and the stiffness in the rest of his body, he felt pretty rested.

His eyes went from the nurse to the patient in the bed. Anna was still out, her head had shifted to the other side of her pillow, her brown hair spread freely around her. Their hands never left each other in the whole night, like she knew he was there, needing him.

"How is she?" Reid asked, leaning forward to look her over.

"About the same." She answered, folding her arms over her clipboard. "Her vitals are a little better, but that's about all the improvement."

Reid let out a breath, hoping she'd be a little further along this morning. It would be alright, though. She lasted two days in that freezing bedroom with massive wounds in her gut, she'd make it the rest of the way, she just needed time.

The nurse cleared her throat to get his attention again. "Uh, sir... there's a call for you at the nurses' station."

Curious, he at last pulled his hand out of Anna's, reaching in to fetch his phone from his pocket. It took only a moment to realize it was dead.

"What time is it?" He asked in alarm as he rose from his seat.

"A little after nine," she replied. "Your call is waiting on Line 2."

As urgently as he could while fighting to wake up, Reid got up to leave the room. He left his coat and things behind, preparing to come back before heading out. He wondered who might be calling him, whether it was Morgan finally tracking him down or Hotch trying to reprimand him. What bothered him most, though, was Riley. She had no idea where he was an if something were wrong, she wouldn't be able to reach him. Even by now, she must have called to say good morning, and reached nothing but his voicemail.

He slipped out of her room and hurried down the hall. The morning shift must be on duty now because he didn't see a single nurse he recognized, and there was a lot more now. When he made it to the counter, however, there was no one in sight.

The phone was in plain sight. In a place like this, it wasn't a complicated system. Two buttons were flashing, giving him a 50/50 chance he'd choose the right one. What other choice did he have, there wasn't time to waste. Picking up the receiver, he choose the second button, took a deep breath, and spoke. "Hello, this is Dr. Reid."

"Reid, where have you been?" Hotch demanded to know on the other end. "We've been trying to track you down for the last hour."

"I know, I'm sorry, my phone died." He explained, leaning on the counter.

"Morgan said you left in the middle of the night for reasons he claims he didn't know." Hotch continued with severity. Now wasn't the time for casual conversation. "Why are you at the hospital? If something happened with Anna, there was an order to call me."

"Yeah, well..." Reid wasn't sure how to explain this. He still didn't know. "I stopped by just to check on her, but when I found she was alone... I couldn't leave her. Why isn't her grandfather here with her? He does know she's okay, doesn't he?"

"Captain Lemont informed him personally. I don't know why he's not with her. Perhaps it's against his religion to accept modern medical care." Hotch suggested.

"No," Reid shook his head. "They don't often accept it except in cases of severe trauma. There's nothing that's keeping him from his granddaughter, so why isn't he here?"

"I don't know, Reid, and since it's not relevant to the case, it's none of our business. We have a case to work on and I need all my people here. Are you alright to work?" He questioned.

"Yes, of course." He replied quickly, not even thinking what he was saying. "I'll just stop by the hotel to shower and change and I'll be there within the hour."

Hotch sounded elated at that, but ordered just the same, "Don't be long. We got lucky last night, the snow seems to be holding off for now, but who knows how long it will last. We need to work as fast as possible if we're going to stay ahead of the weather."

Reid agreed. "I'll be there soon, and if you hear from Riley, tell her I'll call her as soon as I can."

"If she calls, I'll let her know." Hotch said. "We're getting started in about twenty minutes, as soon as the captain's ready, so we'll see you when you come in."

"What about Sarah?" Reid wondered. "Has anyone told her about her sister?"

"JJ's going to take care of that as soon as she and her boyfriend come in. They should be arriving in an hour or so." He explained.

Reid requested, "I'd like to handle that, sir. Maybe there's more I can learn from her that'll be useful."

Hesitating a moment, Hotch questioned, "Is that the only reason you want to speak with her?"

Thinking for a moment, Reid gave an unseen shake of his head. "I don't know what you mean."

There was a silence that followed until finally Hotch responded. "Within the hour, Reid."

He ended the call and Reid laid the receiver back in place. Hotch had sensed something, and he knew it was along the same train of thought that Morgan had brought up yesterday. He was trying his best not to get too distracted, but having his friends constantly reminding him made things worse. All he could do was to just keep working.

* * *

"Excuse me, Agent Prentiss," Morgan hushly said that morning in the break room. While grabbing his morning cup of coffee, he reached a container of cream on the far side of the counter, causing him to stretch his arm behind Emily. He used the opportunity to lean against the fair woman as she stirred her lemon tea. His hard body pressed intimately into her.

He was being awfully flirtatious this morning. Normally, he only saved this kind of behavior when they were at home, but he was in high spirits this morning. They both were.

"You know, there's a full bottle right beside the coffee maker there." She said over her shoulder.

He stood straight to meet her eyes, his face just inches from hers. If anyone where to walk in right now, it might be a cause for alarm. As usual, however, it didn't occur to them.

"That's just plain half and half, I wanted the French Vanilla." He said, his voice low and sultry. "I like it a little sweet."

"Is that so," she asked as set her hot tea down. She slowly turned to face him, and both of his arms poised on either side of her, bracing on the counter. He was so close, every breath intoxicated her with the scent of him. The fragrance of his delicate cologne with a layer of a powder freshness. One whiff and she felt her cheeks flood with warmth. Hidden from sight, her hand reached up to land on his chest, feeling his rippling muscles underneath. "You do have quite the sweet tooth."

They'd kissed here once before, but it had been an act of desperation, as if to remind each other how they really felt. They were certainly throwing caution to the winds today, though. Morgan never took such liberties in a setting like this, but it was like he didn't care anymore. Leaning down, he brushed her lips gently. As his hand came up to rest on her cheek, he brought her into a full kiss. A voice was telling Emily how wrong this was, but for just a moment, she allowed herself to fall into it, even enjoy it.

"Derek," she whispered, breathless, as their lips broke suddenly. "We could get caught."

He remembered what Reid had talked with Riley about in hushed tones last night. No, he didn't have all the facts, but he did have his suspicions. Strauss wanting to speak to Riley, on matters neither knew nothing about. It was just too coincidental, and if the odds were rapidly stacking against them, what was the point of walking the thin line so cautiously anymore? They could let their guard down a little.

"Let them catch us," Morgan grinned. "It'll wipe that smirk off Simpson's face every time he watches you walk away."

Her jaw dropped a bit. "He does not."

"Why are you so shocked?" Morgan grinned. "You've got a great behind, Princess. It doesn't mean I like him ogling what belongs to me ."

He stroked a hand down her backside as he said that and Emily gave a playful glower. "It's yours?"

"Well, more mine than anyone else's." He assured, and with that leaned in to kiss her again. She moaned happily as her hand brushed his cheek. For a moment, they just let themselves be happy, before letting the real world invade.

A shrill, tempered voice called from the squad room, interrupting their blissful moment. "I don't care what you need it for, I said no!"

It interrupted their kiss, startling both of them. They looked to each other questioningly a moment before looking towards the door. Nothing of alarm could be seen in the squad room, but the yells returned.

Another voice responded, also yelling, but to a lesser degree. It sounded weak and deflated, almost docile. "It's not fair! You give me all these chores to do, you get angry when they're not done, yet you can't make the slightest effort to make it easier on me! I think you like to see me struggle!"

The first voice yelled, and it was then both Morgan and Emily recognized it. "Stop acting like I'm such a tyrant! You would have nothing in this world if it weren't for me!"

His voice went even lower as he said, "You don't have to yell! All you do is yell!"

"And all you do is lie on my couch and spend my money on beer. If your father were alive, he'd be ashamed to know you."

They had to see what was going on. The two agents left their mugs on the counter, hurrying out to the squad room. Not far from them they spotted the couple in argument. Just as they believed, Captain Lemont was the voice filled with loud fury, yelling at a young man with shaggy hair and scruffy facial hair. He wore a huge green jacket, looking more suited for a soldier in the Vietnam era.

He stared at her bitterly. His expression was cold, filled with nothing but hatred. "Don't you pretend to know my father. If he had had any brains, he would have kicked your ass to curb the first time you screwed one of your detectives."

"Yeah, he was weak," Lemont said with a superior gloat and a fold of her arms. "And the apple never falls far from the tree."

For a moment, Morgan thought he'd have to hurry over and step in, stopping the young stranger from striking the captain. His hand did twitch, but it never rose from the level of his filthy jeans' pocket.

He had no retaliation, his head hung low. He knew he was the center of attention, even with the officers around pretending they weren't listening. The humiliation lit up his face like a Roman candle.

"Don't talk about my father like that." He muttered, hardly loud enough for anyone to hear. The room was much too quiet for anyone not to notice.

"Oh, get in my office!" She uttered with annoyance. "I don't need my whole department seeing you bawling like a baby."

He did have tears in his eyes, but it didn't phase him to get emotional here, even among people who appeared to see him on a regular basis. However, he took Lemont's order without question, appearing quiet and docile. Like a dog being reprimanded for his mess on the rug.

She lead him through the squad room to her office door. Once he was safely inside, her hand rested on the knob as she turned back to the others. "Don't you all have work to do?"

Most of the officers hurried on their way, pretending they had no interest in her personal life. Morgan and Emily weren't easily intimidated, especially not by a hot headed police captain. They continued to watch as she stepped through the door, and shut the two inside.

"What was that all about?" Emily wondered.

"That, unfortunately, is a little small town theater we're pretty much accustomed to around here." Peele said as he and Simpson walked over, catching Emily's question. "About once a week, some or other causes this little scene somewhere in Pine Clove for everyone to see, and by the end of the day, it's all anyone can talk about."

"I guess excitement's hard to come by around here." Morgan joked. Small towns differed slightly all over the country. No one was alike, but a typical past time for every single one was the spread of rumors. Being from a big city, it always amazed him how much of an effort these communities put into gossip. It was like a sport to them.

"Who is that boy, anyway?" Emily wondered. "Not a cop."

"Oh, no." Simpson answered with a shake of his head. "That's Philip Walker, Captain Lemont's stepson. A college dropout who spends most of his day watching reruns of Roseanne and reluctantly waiting on his evil stepmother hand and foot."

"My God, how old is he?" Emily questioned. Obviously, being once in college, he had to be of age to go out and get his life started.

"21, if my math is right." Peele answered.

"And he just... let's her?" She wondered. "He obeys her, does what she orders him to do, let's her berate him in public and just takes it? Why doesn't he fight back?"

Morgan took a moment to clear his throat, relating to the kid. "That's the thing about abuse, Prentiss. You get stuck in a lifestyle, rely on a dominate person and have no choice but to stick it out. You dream every day about a better life, all the while, you know how impossible it is to break free."

The detectives walked by to the break room, too used to this give it a second thought. Morgan and Emily, however, couldn't help but give the poor young man a moment of silence. Truthfully, all people came from something. And, no matter how well it was hidden or how much it's ignored, that pain was still there. Abuse or regret or pain, nothing ever made it go away. Some people were just lucky enough to put it behind them.

"Come on," Morgan said, tugging on her sleeve, and headed towards the conference room. If the others weren't already waiting, they would be soon.

Emily nodded, just about to follow when the captain's office opened again. With his head hung low, Philip hurried out. He rushed past the curious looks without a word, wanting to get out of here as fast as possible.

Lemont poked her head out the door with an evil glare on her face, watching his departure. It was odd the way she was looking at him. There was some kind of affection there. Even if it was misguided, it was possible Lemont loved the young man... but her glare was suspicious. Like there was a secret that should be obvious, and knew no one around could tell.

She had to be just overreacting, and brushed it off as she followed Morgan. Her attention was better focused on work, not an obvious lost cause which was none of her business anyway.

* * *

The team would be calling any minute. Garcia had been rushing around for the last twenty minutes, getting her system up and running from it's hibernation and bringing up the results from the searches. She took a long swig of her coffee before setting it aside again, needing all the stimulate she could get.

A knock on the door didn't even deter her from her task. "Enter and be awed by my wonderous presence, oh blessed child."

It opened and Riley stepped in to join her, bundled up from the cold outside. She'd already removed her gloves with one hand clutching a bright red apple. "Morning." She said in greeting, closing the door.

"Hey," Garcia exclaimed, sparing a moment to look at her new arrival. "I thought you'd might be stopping by."

"Yeah I just wanted to pop in real quick before I had to get to the office." She said, maneuvering awkwardly in the cramped space to remove her coat. "Besides, I've been having trouble getting in touch with Spencer this morning. At least when you talk to him later, you can tell him you saw me."

"No problemo, Mighty Mama." She said with a smile. "And how are you feeling this morning?"

Riley hesitated a moment, hanging her coat on the hook. It looked so drab next to Garcia's pink and red one. Just right for the festive Valentine's season. She pretended to brush pretend flakes of snow from the fabric, trying to find the right thing to say.

Everything had seemed calm since the middle of the night. Nothing but the usual kicks and jabs from inside. Riley could almost believe she'd imagined it, but she knew that was foolish. All she could do was hope it was just prologue to what was to expect in the weeks to come.

"Oh, fine," Riley finally answered with a sincere smile. She came over to take the other empty chair, easing herself down as carefully as possible. "I didn't get too much sleep, but I still feel pretty energetic." She smiled and gave her stomach a rub, "and I'm not the only one."

Beaming, Garcia reached over to give her bump a pat. She couldn't help but chuckle as she felt the wild kicks inside. "Boy, it's like she's trying to break out of there. Somebody's getting restless."

"Just like her father. Spencer gets restless when he's in one place for too long." Riley mentioned. She cringed a bit as she adjusted herself in her chair, desperate to relieve the pain in her back.

"It won't be long now, Sweetie, don't worry." Garcia comforted as she gave her one last pat. "Pretty soon, you'll be holding your precious little bundle in your arms."

"Yeah," Riley nodded, staring down at stomach, "but not too soon."

Garcia didn't pick up on what she was saying, turning back to her computers. "The team will be giving me a ring-a-ding any minute now, but I have a moment to give you some pretty good news."

"Oh, yeah?" Riley said absentmindedly. Her hand kept running over the curve of her belly, feeling the baby kick back each time. It was almost like a game they played, Riley would stroke on one spot and the baby would respond in the same one. She loved the attention. Whether a genius or not, she knew her baby was going to be a very smart.

With one more pat, Garcia said with a beaming smile. "I think I may have tracked down your quote end quote stalker."

At last, Riley looked up in bothersome amazement. "You did?"

"I have his name and everything, I am absolutely certain this is the man who's been calling you." Garcia replied. She leaned back in her chair, as if to revel in her own brilliance for a moment, enjoying her friend's amazement.

Riley couldn't help be think about the car she'd been seeing everywhere. Even when she saw a similar one, knowing full well it wasn't the same car, she still felt a shudder. As if this possible stalker was everywhere. She knew Garcia hadn't meant to disturb her with that comment, but it still sent a chill down her spine.

She could have asked for his name, but knowing the name of a stranger would only frighten her more. "How did you find him?"

"Well, I took my idea and crossed it with tracking down the diner, which, unfortunately, closed about six months ago." She explained. "It seemed odd at first, so I looked into its financial history and apparently, it's been keeping a false set or books and paying its employees under the table, and just like Uncle Sam, O Canada doesn't take too kindly to that and audited the place. They were forced to shut down."

"So if it's out of business, how is someone connected to the place contacting me?" Riley asked.

Garcia smiled even wider, "That's what I was curious about, and flipped through more of her records. The manager had a cell phone connected to the diner and he's kept it working, even after quitting and moving." She grinned as she pulled up the call history, her finger indicating her specific point on the page so Riley could see. "I looked back into the towers used over the last few months, and I saw he had crossed the border into the land of free, where he continued to make a cross country trip through the mid west and settled... right here in town. The last ten calls he's made is either to take out restaurants, some home up in Canada and... one very familiar place whose number I'm sure you know."

Riley adjusted her glasses a bit, squinting at the tiny writing to see. As soon as she saw the last four digits, a clinch caught in her stomach. "That's my office."

"Precisely," Garcia replied.

"Alright, so we suspected someone traveled all the way from Canada to contact me and now we've proven it. For some unknown reason, this person has an interest in me." Riley shook her head. "Is it just me or is it my work?"

"Oh, I think it's you." Answered Garcia, and without the least bit of concern in her voice.

Stunned, Riley's eyes darted a bit. "Why? Why would he be so interested in me? I swear, I've said it to Spencer, I think I give off some scent that only mentally disturbed men are attracted to."

"Well, that would explain why he loves you so much, because he's absolutely crazy about you since forever." Garcia said brightly, and continued. "And anyway, I don't think you have to be too alarmed about this guy... at least not for your own safety. Your husband's sanity however..."

She trailed off and Riley was confused as well as stunned. "What are you talking about?"

Garcia typed a few commands to tell her what she meant. "I told you I'd look into your history and Reid's to see if there's anyone you're close to who's been active in Canada recently. I found one person and, it seems... he's been contacting one Chief Strauss for the last two months. There have been several calls back and forth between the two."

Now everything was starting to come together. It could explain why Spencer got word that Strauss was going to contact her.

As the picture and description came up on the screen, Riley felt so shocked at the sight, she wouldn't have been surprised if she went into labor right then. The picture was obviously older, one taken when he began his career, but it wasn't that different to the man she remembered.

Riley was certainly scared, but it was the first time in weeks she wasn't afraid for her life, for the life of her child. Truly, the only person she feared for was her husband.

"What is he doing here?" Riley uttered in disbelief.

"I think that's pretty obvious." Garcia answered as she pointed at her belly.

She was right. Riley continued to caress her stomach as she contemplated this, wondering how she was going to tell Spencer about this. It would probably best if she waited until he came home. That would give her some time to think.

Garcia couldn't help but ask. "Are you going to call him?"

That, she didn't know. He had come to them last time, however unexpected it might have been, but maybe he was waiting for Riley to make the first move. Unsure if he were welcome in their life anymore. It was a very sticky situation.

Before she could say any of this, the phone started to ring. Garcia answered at once, shifting gears without a second thought.

"Good morning ladies and germs. While I am assuming I am speaker phone, I think it's best to skip the inappropriate, albeit amusing comments and get right down to business."

"Good morning, Garcia," Hotch replied. "Did you have any luck tracking down our suspect."

"Indeed, I did. Now I'm going to pause so you can all revel in my brilliance." She announced. Behind her, she heard Riley stifle a chuckle, highly entertained by the little show the bubbly girl always put on. It was a rare treat she got to see the team in action. "Micah Bernard, thankfully, was not from the land that time forgot and was easily traceable through a paper trail. He was born and raised in Lancaster, coming from a broken home. His father is currently serving time in the Philadelphia Maximum Security Penitentiary while his mother has been in and out of drug rehab for the last ten years. Not exactly the recipe for a Norman Rockwell painting. Micah and Brian Rosenplatt went to the same high school, but if he hadn't already said they were friends, I never would have known it. They boys were in completely different circles their whole lives. Micah was in Special Ed. because of his dyslexia while Brian took every AP class possible. Micah lived in a run down apartment on the outskirts of the city while Brian's family spent most of their life in an old colonial not far from the courthouse."

The others, now gathered around the table, were listening and taking notes."We're more interested in what he's been up to lately, Garcia." Hotch informed.

"Right, sorry," She said, getting to the point. "Poor Mr. Bernard appears to have a rap sheet as long as my arm. Mostly misdemeanors: petty theft, indecent exposure, ex cetera, but he escalated to felonies last year when he stole his neighbor's RV. He served 90 days in jail and is currently out on parole."

Emily leaned forward, the easier for her voice to be heard. "Is there any records that could point to him evolving as a sadist?"

"There was a minor charge when he was caught peeping at a neighbor when he was twelve, but nothing after that." Garcia exclaimed. "What's interesting is what he stole the van for. An environmental group he's been associated with for the last three years. There's nothing that says what he took it for, but it's got to be some lovely tree hugging incident."

Detective Simpson suddenly, "Let me guess, it's DOME."

The team looked to him curiously. Morgan couldn't help but ask. "Dome?"

"I take it you've dealt with them?" Rossi wondered.

Lemont, with her arms folding and pacing the length of the room slowly, nodded. "They're mostly based in Lancaster, but they have a few supporters up here, especially as of late. They devoted to the environment and believe it should be protect by any means necessary. It stands for-"

"-Devotion to Our Mother Earth." A voice behind them announced knowingly, startling all of them.

Everyone turned to look, surprised to see Reid had at last arrived. He looked a bit ragged, no doubt rushing to get back here as fast as possible, and slightly tired. Truthfully though, with his usual bag slung over his arm, he was a truly welcoming sight.

"How do you know that, Reid?" Hotch had to ask. It was the most pressing matter at the moment. They could deal with greetings later.

"I saw a poster taped to the door of the lodge's diner this morning." He explained as he stepped in. "A meeting planned for this Sunday at the Methodist Church, wanting to discuss the controversy of Lexington Corp, whatever that is."

"Well, according to what I could find, there isn't one member of this group that isn't at least on probation for one misdemeanor of another." Garcia continued. "It's lead by Angela Summersby. Since they commit a lot of destruction and guerilla warfare, they have no set headquarters, so I can't give you an address."

Riley was listening to them talk. She'd been relieved to hear Spencer's voice, and not in some automated message. He didn't even know she was listening in, but maybe she'd get a chance to speak to him in a moment.

For a few seconds, she felt hopeful, but that feeling quickly diminished. She'd barely gotten enough of a grip on herself not cry out with that same charge of pain rippled through her abdomen again. It felt just as it had this morning, but grew faster and seemed to remain. Carefully, she let out a low hiss, her knuckles white as she clutched the arms of the swivel chair. She tried to focus on sounds around her, forcing her way through this. It would pass.

"We need to speak with her." Hotch insisted. "We still shouldn't rule out these murders are a group effort. Even if only man committed the acts, it didn't mean he did all the grunt work himself. Perhaps the group itself even planned it."

"Why would they be targeting the Amish, though?" Detective Peele asked. "They don't hurt anybody."

"He has a point." Simpson agreed. "We've heard of DOME go after different groups, cause destruction, even light a building or two on fire, but it's to target their enemies. The Amish don't oppose or attempt to suppress them in any way."

"We can't rule out any leads yet." Hotch told him. "With such a lack of evidence, we can't afford to be picky."

"Yeah, but how are we supposed to find them?" Morgan wondered. "Hope they stage some kind of protest we can witness before another family is slaughtered?"

Rossi answered that, having a more productive plan. "Speaking as a military man, I know that to stop any battle, the best course of action is to take out the general. Let's track down this Summersby and see if she knows where Micah is, maybe about his recent activity, too. If the group isn't involved, she might be willing to help us."

"Good idea," Hotch agreed. "Morgan and Prentiss can speak to her. Reid and JJ are set to talk Sarah, see if she can be of anymore help."

"I really don't know if there's more she can tell us." JJ debated. "With so little contact with her family, her information is minimal at best."

"It's more for Anna's sake." Reid clarified. "When she wakes up she's going to be scared and traumatized. Having her sister nearby may help her to trust us more."

"That shouldn't be hard, Reid." Rossi said. "She obviously already trusts you."

Reid wasn't so sure that was accurate. "If she even remembers me. Who knows how much of her experience she'll recall when she wakes up."

"It might help if we brought Sarah to the hospital," JJ suggested "Even if Anna's not awake yet, Sarah will probably want to be with her."

"It's human nature to want to care for someone, even if it's just sitting and waiting." Reid added, and the others could tell he was avoiding their gazes. If only they could know what was going on behind those eyes.

"The rest of us are going to work on the profile and continue trying to work with the bishops. We should be ready to present by this afternoon, so be ready." Hotch continued.

"We will, sir." Emily assured.

"Baby Girl, can you send me that Angela girl's address to my phone?" Morgan asked.

All that followed was silence. The room believed it had been a bad line. Or perhaps the oncoming storm was so close to town, taking out the neighboring phones, in turn cutting off their communication.

That wasn't the case at all, however. Garcia inadvertently found something to distract her. She hadn't seen it at first, but after a subconscious glance in her direction, it was like seeing a hypnotic trance. She just couldn't look away.

Riley was cringing in severe pain, her head thrown back on her chair with her eyes squeezed closed so tightly. Her hand continued to rub her tummy as if that would help diminish the discomfort. Garcia was gaping as she took in the full sight, and a flutter erupted in her stomach.

"Garcia?" Emily called out through the phone.

It took Morgan crying out, "Earth to Baby Girl! Are you still there?" to get her attention.

"What?" Garcia cried, having missed so much of the discussion. "I'm sorry, I must have missed that."

"We need Angela Summersby's address." Emily clarified.

"Is everything alright, Garcia?" Reid asked with great concern. It wasn't like her to act so flighty. Not during a case, anyway. She was always so reliable.

"Yes, I'm sorry, I just, uh..." She managed to keep an eye on Riley, watching as she breathed deeply at last. It was a great relief to her, and opened her eyes once again. Her hand continued to stroke her bump in a slow, careful motion. "I just got distracted, it won't happen again."

"I hope not," Hotch answered. "The last thing we need is to deter from the task at hand."

"You're absolutely right, sir." She was so thrown off, she didn't even try to have a witty comment. "I'll keep looking for more information, I'll call if I find something. PG over and out!"

Her finger slammed on the call button and reversed her attention at once to face her friend. "Alright!" She cried, cocking her head with interest as she stared at her inquisitively. "What was that?"

Riley felt a clutch in her chest at that, unsure what to say. She was still trying to catch her breath. "What?"

"That... moment there where you looked like you couldn't breath." She replied knowingly. "You looked like you were in a lot of pain."

"That?" Riley was desperate to brush this off and get on with her day. The less she thought about it, the less likely it would keep happening. "Just a little indigestion. I had an omelette this morning, it must not be agreeing with me."

"Really, Riley?" She cried, astonished. "You should know you can't lie to me. I am the All Knowing Penelope, after all."

Sternly, Riley's easy expression became stern. "It was nothing."

Garcia scoffed. "Oh, please, don't give me that! I was with JJ both times she went into labor. I know a contraction when I see one."

She forced herself to keep her cool, even though her heart was pounding so hard, there wasn't hardly a break between beats. She wanted to argue that Garcia was wrong, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore.

"It's not a big deal." Riley uttered with a shrug.

"Not a-... Riley, you're in labor!" Garcia was in utter shock she was taking this so casually. Like she'd cut her hand and was certain it would heal without stitches. "That's a very big deal. Grab you coat; I'll call Kevin down to take over and we'll make the trek to the hospital."

"No!" She yelled, the panic in her voice evident. Garcia froze, like the cry of her voice had stung her. "I'm not going to the hospital now."

"Pardon?" Garcia pressed. "Why on God's green earth not?"

"Because I'm not in labor." Garcia was about to argue, but Riley launched into an explanation. "It's true, I had my first contraction around midnight last night and this was only my second one. They're irregular and really far apart. This could go on for the rest of the month. Let's just say I'm... near labor. We're not there yet."

Garcia wasn't fully convinced, sensing more than just a routine pregnancy symptom. "Okay... well, it wouldn't hurt to take you to the hospital and just get checked out. Just to be safe. You are my responsibility, after all."

"I can't do that, Garcia." Riley answered. "I have too sessions this morning, I'm not going to cancel them to go to the hospital and confirm what I already know."

She was stunned, and a little suspicious Riley was being so cavalier about the whole thing. "Why are you so afraid?"

"I'm not afraid," Riley argued. "I just... don't want to waste time and resources by going to get examined. All that will happen is they'll get me on a table and poke me and prod me, only to tell me it's too soon and send me home."

It felt like such a blatant lie, Riley was sure Garcia would be able to tell. Truly, if that were the outcome, she'd be delighted. She'd take any orders of bed rest and relaxation just to know everything was right on schedule. She'd go into labor in three weeks, when she was due. And when Spencer was home.

"I guess you're right." Garcia agreed with a softened smile. "You know how to read your body... but I'm still concerned about you. I love you, girl. And besides, if anything happens to you or that baby, your husband will never let me see the light of day again. And he's a genius, he could make an accident look so real, I'd wind up in the next edition of The Darwin Awards."

Riley couldn't help but laugh, feeling a little more relieved. Still, there was a shadow of fear over her now, afraid the wrong move would send another jolt of pain through her. She was going to end up second guessing every breath for the rest of the day.

Sensing her worry, Garcia reached over and patted her belly again. "Sweetie, it's going to be okay. Women have been doing this since man first discovered fire and the burning themselves there of."

"I know," Riley sighed as her hand rested against the side of her abdomen. "I appreciate you looking out for me."

"Anything for you and Little Baby Genius." She said with delight.

There was no certainty she was going to be a genius. Spencer was an anomaly himself, the odds of his child being remotely at that stage was beyond colossal. There were other ways she could take after him, though. All those traits and quirks of his that Riley had fallen in love with many years ago. What a sight to see those reflected in their daughter in the years to come.

Her phone rang disturbing her. Riley wiggled and struggled to get out of her chair, only managing when Garcia came to help her. She grabbed her phone from her coat pocket right on the last ring, delighted to see it was Spencer. "Hi, Sweetheart... oh, it's alright, I was just worried about you."

Garcia waved goodbye as she slipped out the door, continuing her conversation with Reid. Once the door was closed, she set to work, ready for a productive day.


	19. Conversations

A/N: Yay! We're on for a ninth season! And everyone's signed on! (I don't know if I could handle JJ leaving again.)

And I know I keep saying this guys, but I am sorry this is so late. My doctor started me on a beta blocker for my headaches, so I've been so exhausted. I constantly feel like I just ran a marathon. Anyway, I'm trying to get back to normal and I didn't want this chapter to suck by slapping something together. I'd rather have you guys wait for something I'm proud of. :)

* * *

Riley draped her coat over her shoulder before closing the door. "How are you? Did you sleep alright?"

"As good as can be expected." Reid replied, feeling elated at getting a hold of her.

Riley tried not to sound upset as she asked, "Does that mean you had another nightmare?"

"Oh, no, I was fine." He answered calmly. "Morgan just kept kicking me, that's all. I think I have a couple of bruises."

"Oh," she sighed with a bit of a laugh. "Well, I warned you."

He chuckled, "It doesn't matter. I never sleep well without you. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm..." She wasn't exactly sure how to answer that. She couldn't tell him about the contractions. It would just make him worry, and the last thing she wanted to do was upset him when he had a job to do.

"I'm okay," She answered before too much time passed. "A little tired, I didn't fall asleep until after midnight. My back is in a constant ache, I can't find any relief."

"Are you sure you want to go through with that lecture today?" Reid wondered. "If you're already tired and sore, it might not be a good idea to put more strain on your body."

"Spencer, what was our deal?" Riley wondered.

"I'm not complaining!" He insisted, "I was just... making an observation."

"Well, you don't have to worry, because I'm fine." She assured. "We're both fine, Sweetheart."

"Really?" He pressed with worry.

"Really," Riley replied. "We just miss you."

As much as he hated being away, Reid loved hearing her say that. "It's just a couple more days. Friday night, I'm going to give you a full body massage to relieve the pain in your back. Then, I'm going to devote the next three weeks making sure you don't have to lift a finger."

With an anticipating giggle, she answered, "Spencer, you still have to work."

"Hey, anything I can do in Garcia's office, I can manage at home." He replied. "I don't plan to leave your side again until that baby is born."

"I like the sound that." She answered lightly, wishing he was home now. It didn't matter if it were false labor. Those contractions had rattled her, making her more afraid than ever. She'd never be able to manage labor if he weren't here. "Are you sure you're doing okay?"

"Yeah." His voice was hallow and sad, all but confirming Riley's growing suspicions. "I'd better get back to work; JJ's waiting for me, but I'll talk to you later?"

"I'll call you at 4, after my lecture." Riley answered. "Be careful."

"I will," He replied. "You know I love you, right?"

"Yes, I do, but I never tire of hearing it." She uttered. "And I love you, too."

She waited just one more moment before ending the call. With that, she stopped, taking a moment to lean against the wall. She was just a few steps from the elevators, and the next thing to do would be slip the phone back into her bag, pull her coat on and start on her apple as she waddled back to her car. She had a lot to do today... and a lot more to think about than she originally thought.

But instead, her worries weighed down on her mind, and wouldn't go away just because she wished them so. Her apple could wait a few more minutes as she took to her phone again, needing to make another call.

* * *

Reid was leaning his forehead against the door frame of the break room, barely registering as JJ walked over. "Something wrong, kiddo?"

"No," he grumbled in a grudging tone. Standing up slowly, he ran a frustrated hand through his messy hair, still damp from his recent shower, and now icy cold. Turning to her, he gave a shrug. "I just wish I was home."

"It's just a few more days at the most." She assured, patting his shoulder. "Who knows, this Micah Bernard could be the very unsub we're hunting. We could end up going home tonight."

That was too much too hope for, but he was optimistic about a profile. For now, the case was still going, and Reid couldn't focus enough to worry about Riley and the baby when he was too busy working.

"Sarah's here, she's waiting in the visitor's lounge." JJ continued. He responded with a nod and followed her back through the squad room. His mind was buzzing loudly, from one subject to another.

Through the busy precinct, JJ couldn't help but be curious. "I'm surprised you want to handle this. You usually like to compartmentalize as much as possible while on a case."

"If I could do that, JJ, I probably would have been able to stay in Quantico." He mentioned with a jocular scoff, trying to make light of the situation. "I'm the one who found Anna, I should be the one to tell her sister... what I can't figure out is why her grandfather isn't with her."

Thinking for a moment, she asked suspiciously. "Could it be guilt? Maybe he had something to do with this."

It took no time at all for him to squash that theory. "Any other case, I would consider following that lead, but Bishop Yoder is a part of a different culture. He's devoted his life to not only living Plain, but taking care of a flock as well. Plus, when we spoke, I didn't get 'killer' from him."

Reaching the door of the lounge, JJ grabbed the handle, pausing a moment to finish her thought. "Well, maybe we'll get a chance to talk to him later. In the meantime, our interest is with Sarah. Determining her reaction could give us another clue."

Reid agreed, but wasn't sure the answer would be something so simple. JJ opened the door and walked in, allowing him to follow.

Sarah was sitting on one of the couches, clutching her fiance's hand. The poor girl looked worn and sorrowful, having lost nearly everyone she'd ever cared for. But her family had cast her out over a year ago... it was surprising to Reid she appeared so upset. Or was that just a front?

"Hello, Sarah. Brain." JJ spoke with a confident smile as she closed the door. Reid wished he could be so intrepid, but his stomach was twisting into knots, unsure the best way to put this. Even when the victim was alive, delivering news like this never got easier. Then again, as Gideon had once put it, the day this job stopped getting under his skin is the day his soul was too far gone to be saved.

"This is Dr. Spencer Reid, he's another one of our agents." She continued to explain as they took a seat with them, "and, Sarah, he would like to speak with you. It's very important."

Sarah gave a silent, yet complying nod. Brian, however, immediately burst into an argument. "How many of you are going to ask us the same questions over and over and over? We don't know anything else and we had nothing to do with the death of her family, as much as we hated them! And no matter what we were planning, we didn't hurt Anna!"

Reid caught her eyes close at that, almost like she were in pain, having to will herself through it.

"It's not about that, actually, Mr. Rosenplatt." He corrected, and then his gaze fell to Sarah. "I need to speak about... something important."

Her blue eyes flew open again, and she looked at him anxiously. They glowed with fear and already, she was expecting the worst. Knowing her sister was missing suggested what this man was about to reveal. "What is it?"

He took a pause to prepare himself, inching closer in his chair. His voice was quiet and pensive as he spoke.

"Well... we found your little sister, Anna." He began.

She let out a pathetic sob, closing her eyes as she hung her head. A hand covered her eyes and Brian immediately put his arm around her. She was on the verge of a complete break down. "It's okay," Brian whispered, pulling her closer.

Reid wanted to wait for her to calm down, but she obviously had the wrong idea. "Sarah... I have to tell you-"

"It can wait." Brian declared. "She'd like to mourn right now. Anything else you have to say can't be nearly as important."

"But it is." Reid assured him. "Sarah, your sister was still in your family's home, she'd been left there after the attack. When the bodies of your family were removed, she was under the bed and they didn't look for her."

"Oh, she was all alone," she moaned, sitting up. At last, she meet his eyes, tears streaming down her puffy cheeks. "Was she in pain? Did she suffer."

"Sarah, please listen to me, you have the wrong idea." He explained. "Your sister survived the attack, she remained under her bed until we found her. She was brought to the hospital yesterday to be cared for." He said it with as little hesitation as possible, not wanting her to suffer anymore than she had.

Her expression went from sad to stunned. She observed Reid for the longest time, as if expecting this to be some kind of joke. It couldn't possibly be real.

"She's alive?" She squeaked.

Brian, still distrustful of these people, wasn't sure if this was just some interrogation tactic. "You're not serious."

"I found her myself. I held her hand the whole way to the hospital." He continued to explain. "She'd been hiding for three days, struggling to hang on. Anna was severely injured from... stab wounds in her stomach, but they operated on her and they're hoping she'll pull through."

"Oh my..." Sarah struggled to speak, her eyes swarming with more tears. There was so much she wanted to say and not a single word could be formed. But Reid was patient. He'd wait until she was ready.

"Did she say who attacked her?" Brian asked with curiosity.

JJ questioned, "Is that a concern of yours?"

His gaze came up to glare at her accusingly. "Yes, if she recognized her attacker, isn't that going to help you track him down? I want this monster stopped as much as the rest of you."

Neither JJ nor Reid were dumb to the fact that Brian knew the truth. Until proven otherwise, they still considered him a suspect... and he was determined to stay a step ahead.

Reid's focus right now remained on Sarah. He watched as she tried to breathe, over and over. She nervously kept brushing her blonde hair away. A nervous tick he often had himself. At last, her eyes finally shot up to him. "I want to see her."

JJ wasn't so sure about that, but Reid wouldn't deny her request. "She hasn't woken up yet since her surgery, but I'm sure once she does, she'd like to see you. I can take you to the hospital."

"Please," she said, standing up.

Unsure, Brian got up as well. "I, uh... guess I'll go with you."

At that, she turned and said what surprised JJ greatly, considering their conversation just yesterday. "No... I'd rather go alone."

With that, she turned back to Reid with a hopeful expression. He nodded at once, "We shouldn't be long," he assured to both Brian and JJ. Amazing what teammates could communicate with just a look. Maybe it was just a gut feeling, but it felt like Brian had more to hide. With this new development of Sarah's independence, who knew what else they could learn from the protective boyfriend. Leading her to the door, Reid opened it quickly, allowing Sarah out first. They were both anxious to get underway.

* * *

Hotch stuffed his phone away and decided another cup of coffee was in order before the bishops got here. They had another plea to make with them, and he was all but desperate for them to listen. Entering the break room, he found Rossi right where he left him. Leaning against the counter with a steaming cup in hand. His tired eyes were focused on the ground, willing himself to stay awake.

"You look beat." Hotch mentioned as he grabbed the carafe.

"Gee, I don't know why," He muttered sneeringly, looking up. "Let's see, first there was Reid screaming from his nightmare. Then it was Morgan and Prentiss fighting, then Morgan and Prentiss making up." He let out a sigh and shook his head. "I find it hard to believe they didn't know how loud they were."

"The sad part is, I think they were restraining themselves." Hotch muttered. The rich black liquid poured into his mug with vapors of steam wafting the delicious smell towards him. That alone was invigorating.

Rossi let out a light chuckle, "Well... maybe I'm getting bitter in my old age. You, on the other hand, have your own hot love affair to keep you warm on the nights you're not sleeping next to me." He smiled with a twinkle in his eye.

Hotch, however, didn't share his enthusiasm. He responded with a grunt, but it didn't come off nearly as lighthearted as he'd hoped. Rossi was immediately intrigued, turning to him.

"Aaron," he uttered, turning to face him. "Don't tell me the heat between you and Alexa has chilled already."

He wasn't nearly inclined to discuss this with someone else. Hotch had always been a private person, but there were a select few people he felt comfortable opening up to, and Alexa had been the most recent in that very short line. Rossi was another one, and the most useful at a time like this.

He took a slow sip of his coffee, savoring the bitter, smooth taste and swallowed hard. "It hasn't even gotten a chance to heat up yet. We didn't even start dating until her divorce was final... we haven't even spent the night together yet."

"Hey, slow is good." Rossi said, and there was a proud sense in his voice. Surely, he wasn't a man who ever had much patience when it came to women, especially in his younger days.

"Yeah," Hotch agreed. "Well... this weekend is supposed to be our first time. We're supposed to spend an early Valentine's Day trip to Vermont... and I had plans to make it really special... but it might be ruined before we even leave."

Rossi responded with a mindful, "Hmm." And fell silent a minute. Hotch could tell he was thinking and waiting for him to form his thought. "What's the problem?"

There was no simple way to say this, so Hotch just started as far back as he believed was relevant. Frankly, it had gone back six months ago, when the two had first began talking, before she'd even moved from Vegas. Her new hopes of becoming a nurse and starting a real career. It proceeded into a more detailed explanation of yesterday's discussion, and his attitude become quiet and solemn. By the time he finished and everything was out on the table, he felt incredibly low, his head hung low. His hands both gripped the edge of the counter, with his coffee set aside, forgotten and rapidly growing cold.

Rossi didn't speak at first, which Hotch had expected. Often times, when considering a theory, he fell silent and let himself process his thoughts before revealing them. Most people could learn from that.

"Okay," He finally said with a nod, his face contorted as he considered everything. "I, uh... I've got to tell you, Hotch, I don't see the problem here. I get it'll be hard to uproot her kids again, but life's like that sometimes. They're young, they'll adjust."

"I'm confused because I'm not even sure I want her to move to DC." Hotch responded, looking over to him. "If she moves to DC, that's it. We're serious... there's no real going back at that point. And I'm just not sure if I'm ready to take that step."

It was troubling to hear Rossi chuckle beside him. There was a pause as he took a sip of his drink. "Well," he said as he swallowed, "how do you feel about her?"

Hotch gave him another glare. "You know how I feel. I'm... crazy about her. I've never felt like this for another woman... even Hayley at our best. Sometimes I sit back and think this shouldn't be happening. She's more than ten years younger than me, we met on a case that her son was a victim of, plus there's bad blood between her and one of my closest friends... but when I'm with her, none of that matters. Being with her just..." He let out a sigh and Rossi swore, he almost smiled, "it feels right. It makes everything else worth it."

Rossi knew he meant so much more than the inital complications. "Sounds like you're in love with her."

At that, Hotch gave a grumble. "That's... where it gets complicated."

"Really?" He wondered, thinking back. "It didn't sound that complicated. It sounded more like you were about to break into song."

"I know I feel that deeply about her, but I'm not ready to admit that." Hotch explained. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

With a shake of his head, Rossi replied, "There's nothing wrong with you. The last time you told a woman you loved her, she broke your heart. If you weren't guarding it so closely, I'd say something was off."

"Great," Hotch uttered. "Well, you're the expert at second loves, and third loves, why don't you enlighten me. How am I supposed to get over that?"

Rossi didn't have an exact answer to that. He couldn't just order Hotch to let himself love again. "You don't want to give her up, do you?"

Hotch hesitated, but eventually shook his head. "That's the last thing I want."

"Then you need to take a chance." He clarified with an indicative stare. "It's true, Alexa could move to DC with her children, the two of you could fall in love and then you could fall out of love. And then it'll be a lot of name calling and messy fights, and not only will it be your hearts that are broken, but her children's and your son... there's a lot riding on this."

With an irritated glare, he asked, "You're trying to convince me?"

"This could also be the best decision the two of you could ever make." He continued. "I can't tell you what to do, but isn't the genuine hope that you two could be happy together enough to take the chance?"

Hotch didn't have an answer to that, and Rossi just shook his head, taking another sip of his coffee. "That's the problem with you kids today. You're all looking for a guarantee that life is going to work out. Most good things happen because there's a chance things will go bad, but you try anyway."

"Kids?" Hotch asked. It had been a long time since Rossi referred to him as such.

"Not to change the subject, but... have you heard from our mutual friend lately?" Rossi wondered.

Hotch had nearly forgotten. With his sudden trip to Philadelphia, he hadn't thought about their plan since Friday morning. He completely forgot Rossi met with one Chief Strauss that very evening... and what matters were now in effect there of.

"I haven't spoken to him in about a week." Hotch explained. "If he made his decision, he would have called me. I don't want to rush him, he'll decide in his own time."

"I appreciate that, Hotch, but don't you have to make a decision?" Rossi wondered. "Strauss has made up her mind and she's not going to wait forever for you."

"I'm her first choice." Hotch explained. "But I've already told her, I'm not leaving unless he takes over... she'll just have to respect that and wait for his answer."

Through the doorway of the break room, he saw Reid stepping by while pulling on his coat. Beside him was Sarah Lambright, looking very distraught at this time. A moment later, they were out of sight.

"And, uh... how does Spencer feel about this?" He asked with genuine concern.

"He doesn't know yet, but he will soon." Hotch said. "I know for a fact he wants to be there for the birth. I think Reid will appreciate that."

Rossi shook his head. "Times are changing, Aaron... I hope we all can handle it."

It was a lot to handle, but no one had more confidence in his team than Aaron Hotchner. "We always do."

* * *

Emily slowly sipped her coffee in the passenger seat. She was feeling rather good this morning, no question why. In the ever growing frustration on this trip, it was nice to have a little bit of peace with the man she loved.

"You're going to stare at me the whole trip, Prentiss?" Morgan asked as he flipped on his signal, preparing to head out onto the Interstate.

"I can't help it, you look sexy in your parka." She growled, giving him an enchanting smirk. "I'm kind of hoping this storm will hit while we're in Lancaster. We'd have to get a hotel room."

"Wouldn't that be a shame." He grinned with a wave of his eyebrows. "Either way, we can at least stop for lunch, my treat."

"Sounds good." Her smile turned a bit more serious and she took a deep breath. "Besides, I'd like to talk to you about... something."

Curious, Morgan glanced over. "What is it?"

"We'll talk about it later." She nodded with assurance, hoping she seemed casual enough to put an end to subject for now.

She should have known better. "Prentiss, we've got an hour to kill here. If it's important, let's talk about it now."

Emily had been thinking about this all night, since she'd fallen asleep in Morgan's arms. She wished she could go back to the way things were, before her parents got involved. They wouldn't back off, though, and if they were the first to strike, it was possible Emily and Morgan would never recover.

"I want us to come out to my father." She stated plainly.

Morgan thought for a moment. "I thought he already knew about us."

"Not officially," she corrected. "He knows about you, but... I've never told him how serious we are. He still thinks our relationship is... a casual thing, nothing to pay much attention to. But, if my mother's gotten involved with this, serious or not, he's going to work with her to... do what they think is best for me."

"Forty-years-old and they still treat like your six." Morgan shook his head. "That's shameful."

"You're one to talk. Doesn't your mom still wash your clothes when you come home?" She retaliated. "That's not my point anyway. What I'm saying is if we make a preemptive strike, we might be able to get my dad on our side."

Morgan was about to say no. Thinking for a moment, he remembered how short he'd been with him the other morning. If only he'd known who that man was, he wouldn't have made such a terrible first impression.

Emily, however, looked so hopeful. She wanted this to work, for her father to accept them, and him and Morgan to get along. The last thing he could do was disappoint her.

"How do you want to go about that?" He wondered.

She breathed with some relief, and immediately launched into the explanation of her plan. It was obvious she'd been figuring this for some time. "I thought we could take him out to dinner." At the first twitch of annoyance on his face, she immediately explained. "Derek, this is my dad. He's not going to want anything fancy. But, if he gets the chance to meet you, get to know you, to see how much we mean to each other... not only will he let us be together, but he might be able to get my mother to back off."

"Em, Baby, that's a great plan." He said carefully. "The problem is, I already made a terrible first impression. He probably thinks I'm some... macho jackass."

"Yeah, because... you've never come off like that before." Emily teased. He shot her a quick glare, making her laugh. Reaching over, she brushed the back of his head, and he tried to hide the tingle of her gentle touch. "You didn't know who he was, Baby, it'll be alright. And besides... once he sees how madly in love with you I am... I'm sure he'll be there for us. Really, isn't that what parents want? For their children to be happy."

Morgan didn't really have an answer for that. Before he could answer, either, his phone sounded throughout the car. Emily, confused, voiced, "They can't have found another lead already."

"It's not the team." Morgan said as he answered his phone. "Yeah, Parker, what's up?"

"Hey, Morgan," Riley said on the other end. "How was Spencer last night. Did he have another nightmare?"

He paused for a moment, glancing at Emily. "What makes you think he had a nightmare?"

"Because I know my husband." She answered. "Please, Morgan. He won't tell me, so you have to. What happened last night?"

He glanced at Emily with concern, feeling like he was betraying his friend. Still, they all were worried about him, and if he wouldn't open up, what else could they do. Except plot to help him.

"Yeah, he woke me up at 3, screaming for you." He told. "It took me forever to wake him up, and when I finally did, he wouldn't talk about it. Has this been going on for a while?"

"They've been slow in coming. I noticed a few months ago his sleeping was restless, and for the last few nights, they've become that intense." She explained.

Morgan shook his head, a sign he had no clue what to do. Lucky for him the highway was clear, because he wasn't paying much attention.

"What is it?" Emily asked, worried.

He shook his head for a moment, trying to listen. Riley questioned, "Did he go back to sleep or did he just stay awake? Because he's been doing that, too."

"No, actually... he went to the hospital. We found out this morning he spent the night there." He explained. "I don't know if he slept anymore or not."

She took a heavy breath, "Alright... thank you."

"Do you have any idea what he's dreaming about?" He wondered.

"He's never gone into much details, but..." she paused a moment. It was almost too hard to talk about this, in pain from seeing her husband in this kind of turmoil, "I think he keeps seeing me and the baby die."

Morgan paused. He knew it was something serious. He didn't know what to do, Reid had to be twice as confused. "Can I ask, Riley... are you sick? Is the baby in trouble?"

"No, we are perfectly healthy. I think this is more psychological on his part." She explained. "Just... do me a favor and... look out for him."

"I always do, Parker." He explained. "You just worry about yourself, we've got him covered."

"Great, guys. I appreciate that." She said. "I'd better get to work, let me know if anything goes wrong, and you be careful to."

"We will," he promised, and with that hung up the phone.

Emily asked with great worry. "What is it?"

"I think Reid's more disturbed than he's letting on." Morgan explained with a furtive glance.

Emily was just as bothered by that. "He has to know by now he's not going to feel better until he talks to someone about it."

"True," He responded. "But you know Reid. He's way too stubborn to appear vulnerable in front of us. How the hell do we get him to open up?"

She had just as much to say about that as he did. Without another word, both turned back to the road, as if in hope, all their answers would be out there.


	20. The Sooner, The Better

The hospital wasn't too far from the police station, but enough where it made more sense to drive. Especially in this weather. The trip was silent but for the hum of the engine. During the drive, Reid kept checking at his passenger through the corner of his eye. Sarah was neither agitated nor distraught. In fact, she appeared very calm.

Normally, he'd find that suspicious. Emotions were usually running high in situations like this. But he knew this girl grew up in a different culture, and even distancing herself from it didn't break her habits. Studying her behavior told Reid everything he needed to know. She wasn't letting herself get upset for one reason; she was praying.

The hospital was busier than yesterday, though Reid would still consider it a slow day were he in DC. And he'd spent his fair share of time in hospitals. Silently, he and Sarah made their way to the surgical ward. He could see her itching with anticipation. Seeing her sister more than a year later, especially after a near fatal event was enough to make anyone nervous. He could only imagine what she was feeling.

Reid could sign them both in a moment, he knew how anxious Sarah was to get there. He lead her on a direct route to correct room, giving a respectful knock on the door. Like last night, he was surprised when no one answered.

"Is she in there?" Sarah finally spoke.

"She might still be sleeping." Reid said, unsure. Someone should be with her now, she was assigned to social services. He knocked one more time, taking just a moment to listen before he carefully opened the door, enough to take a peek.

At first, he thought he had the wrong room. There wasn't a soul inside, not even the patient. Anna was gone. Nervously, he checked the number on the door to confirm, but there was no denying it. He closed the door again, taking a moment to think.

"Well?" Sarah demanded. "Where is she?"

That was question. So what was the answer. He muttered a quick "come with me" as he started down the hall. Sarah rushed after him without protest.

He made it to the nurses' station, finding it just as empty as when he left this morning. Feeling very anxious, he checked around but there wasn't a soul in sight. They would just have to wait. He leaned on the counter, trying to keep a casual appearance for his guest.

"You don't think something happened to her, do you?" Sarah asked nervously as she joined him. Her eyes were wide and worried as she waited for his sincere answer.

"No," he assured with a confirming smile. "My team and I would have been informed if... well, if anything serious happened. I'm sure they're just running some tests, we'll find out in a moment."

He wasn't as confident as he sounded, but his calm demeanor was enough to comfort her. Sarah took a deep breath and tried to keep patient, removing her knitted cap as she leaned on the counter.

"I still shocked about all this." She stammered, her voice sounded so frightened. "I never even got to say goodbye... my family didn't even know how much I loved them."

She was reaching out to him, if just for the smallest bit of sympathy. Reid had a talent for consoling victims and their families, reaching out to her without a thought.

"I think they knew... at least your mother did." Reid said as he leaned on the counter. "My mom always says that... mothers know things. They're very intuitive, and... I think, even if you've been estranged, even if you didn't part on good terms... your mother knew you loved her."

"I can't believe something like this happened, it's so horrible." She continued. Reid could see how sickly pale her face was, ultimately disturbed by all of this. "As a child, the only murders I thought existed were in the Bible."

At that, Reid recited, "'Cain said to his brother Abel, 'Let's go out to the field.' And while they were in the field, Cain attacked his brother Abel and killed him.'"

Amazed, Sarah looked to him with new eyes. "Are you a minister?"

"No," he shook his head. "Why?"

"You just... you talk like my grandfather. Not just Bible verses, but... you have this very calming attitude about you when you speak. And you look a little young to be a bishop, so I assumed a minister. You must be active in your church."

"Actually, I've never been." He answered. She eyed him curiously and Reid explained. "My faith isn't based in the traditional sense... but I have a respect for what you believe in... although some of it still baffles me, after all this time."

He was surprised when, instead of confusion or aversion, Sarah smiled, "It baffles me a lot, too. I understand and accepted a lot of my family's traditions growing up, but... I don't think God is as strict as He's always been made out to be. I think we all worship in our own way and He's fine with that."

Reid nodded with approval. "That's a very modern and accepting attitude. Not one I'm sure your family was fond of."

"I knew better than to tell them about it." She explained. "I couldn't even accept it myself when I lived at home... Brian was the one who helped me accept that."

He thought someone was coming their way. Reid took a quick glance down the hall, but if anyone was there, he headed in another direction. "May I inquire something," he asked as he turned back to her. "I've heard of people doing a lot of abnormal and insane things for someone they love, and I understand if it was your reasoning... but being with this boy... is it really worth never seeing your family or friends ever again? Trading the love of hundreds of people for thousands."

Sarah wasn't sure how to answer that at first. "Maybe that's why I've been distancing myself from my old culture. I did give up everything and everyone I love just for one person... but to me, he's not just one person. He is everything." She gave him a guilty smile, hoping he would understand. "Did you ever meet someone who just... gets inside your head completely. Who's your best friend and your greatest love, who makes life so complicated yet incredibly simple at the same time?"

He couldn't help but form a smile. "Yeah... I did once."

"Brian's that person for me... yet, I knew from the beginning how wrong it was to fall in love with him." She shrugged. "I guess that part would be hard to understand."

"Actually... I've experienced that, too." He attested. "When I fell in love with her... we were caught in a bad circumstance, it was very wrong for us to be together. We both knew that... but it was like we couldn't stop."

Intrigued, Sarah had to ask, "Whatever happened to that girl?"

His cheeks blushed pink and he grinned almost shamefully, "I married her."

He was glad that amused her so. It seemed to ease the tension between them, and even such a morbid situation, she was okay to be here with him.

"You do seem very close with Brian, and that's understandable when you're in love, but I am curious why you didn't want him to come with you today." Reid continued. "There has to be a reason for that."

"It's not because I think he had anything to do with this, if that's what you mean." Sarah said definitely, turning to face him. "I just wanted to deal with this on my own. I haven't seen in my sister in so long, this is not how I envisioned being reunited... it's just easier to do this on my own."

That made sense, and Reid found no reason to elaborate on it. He was sympathetic as he nodded, and let the subject go.

They both were trying not to get too worked up or anxious as they continued waiting in the empty corridor. It seemed very irresponsible for no one to be posted at the station at all times.

"Dr. Reid, what's going to happen to her?" Sarah asked at last, turning to him desperately. "My parents are dead, our whole family is gone... when she gets better, she's not going to have a home, and she's only fourteen. Who's going to take care of her?"

"Well, right now, Social Services is looking over her, but I think that's because your grandfather hasn't come to her yet. I'm sure once he does, he'll take custody." He explained.

"Oh," She said in response. "I guess there won't be much chance to see her, then."

"Your grandfather wouldn't make an exception to your excommunication in order to spend time with your sister?" He wondered. "She doesn't have any other family."

"This isn't like some of the newer orders. Even the younger people in our community don't wish to practice the same traditions anymore, especially shunning. But Grandfather is very strict, and he's devoted to keeping to old ways..." She lowered her head as she shook it sadly. "No... once she goes home with him, he'll never let me see her again."

Reid felt his stomach twist uncomfortably. There was nothing more important to him than his family; his mother, his unborn child, his amazing wife, and of course, the six eclectic people who stuck by him through the thickest and thinnest. He couldn't imagine being so mad at them, he cast them out of his life forever.

"Please forgive me for asking. My knowledge on your culture is limited, I've only learned a small amount since we started this case... but isn't there anything else you can do so he'll forgive you? Just so you can have your family again?"

Sarah turned to him, almost with a look of pity. "It's obvious you don't understand the Plain way of life, Dr. Reid. Shunning isn't done out of anger, it's an act of love. Much like punishing a child... it hurts you more than it hurts him, but you do it because that's what you believe is best for him. And you're hope is he'll learn from it. I understand why they're doing this. It doesn't mean I accept it and it certainly doesn't stop it from hurting, but I understand."

Reid shook his head, "Well, I certainly don't understand... I could never turn my back on the people I love, no matter what they did."

"Really?" Sarah asked, a bit defensive. "There's never been anyone in your life... that you cut off or ignored because you felt he or she wasn't worthy?"

There she had a point. Reid had been shutting his father out since he'd come back into his life. Even now, as they worked to rebuild a relationship, there were still boundaries Reid refused to let his father pass. But his resentment wasn't out of love... and maybe he'd been punishing him for the wrong reasons much too long.

At last a nurse walked through the automatic double doors, carrying a stack of charts. She walked in a rush to the nurses' station, taken a back by her guests.

"Can I help you?" She asked, annoyed at being deterred from her task.

"Yes, this is Sarah Lambright, she's come to see her sister Anna, but the patient's not in her room." Reid explained. "Can you tell us where she is."

"Uh... yeah." She answered, flipping through another stack on the counter to find the correct chart. "I swear, the evolution of technology can't come to this place soon enough. Let me tell you, I am not going to be the one to enter all this crap... is the last name the same?"

"Yes," Reid answered. Sarah had fallen silent, too nervous to hear the news.

"Lambright... Lambright- oh, here it is." She grabbed the chart and quickly flipped it open. "Oh, yeah... she had some complications about an hour ago and started bleeding again, so they had to rush her back to surgery."

"Oh, God, is she going to be okay?" Sarah squeaked in fear. Reid couldn't help but rest his hand on her shoulder. The smallest amount of human contact sometimes was enough to calm a person, at least enough to remind her she was not alone.

"Uh..." as rushed as she was, she knew to be sensitive to the member of a patient's family. "Well, it's not uncommon for patients to have these complications after a trauma. The body has difficulty healing after being physically disturbed. The doctors will explain it better when she comes back up. She's young, though. You have every reason to hope she'll pull through."

Reid had heard similar speeches before. Doctors and nurses could never say a patient was going to survive unless they were absolutely certain, yet with a minor manipulation of words, it brought great comfort to a distressed individual.

"Thank you," Reid said, giving her the clear to head back to work. The nurse grabbed her stack again, continuing on her way.

"So now what do we do?" Sarah looked to him for an answer.

Reid guided her towards the elevators, believing they both could use a strong cup of coffee. "We wait," he explained. "At a time like this... it's all we can do."

* * *

Munching on an dried apple chip, Riley checked her watch. She had to leave in a half hour. That was just enough time to finish these last few cases. "Alright," she said through munches. She picked up another filed and flipped it open. "SSA Lindsey Florence, she was assigned to me about three months ago, she had a breakdown in the middle of a hostage situation, it nearly cost three people their lives. I'm having a lot of trouble getting her to open up about the event, let alone what lead to it."

"She has insomnia and you prescribed her... Sonata," Dr. Redmond said as he took the file, quickly reading it over. "Is it effective?"

"I wanted to start her on something simple, to see if the problem was more a superficial one, but she needs something stronger." She explained, reaching into her snack bag for another apple chip. "I'd like to start her on a mild antidepressant, but I didn't want to prescribe one when I couldn't monitor her progress. So I'd like you to dose her as you see fit."

Redmond made a quick note in the file, giving a nod. "I can do that. And... I will keep her appointment time the same. Anyone else?"

"Just one, Agent David Lawrence. He might be finished with his therapy before I get back." She handed him the last file, leaning back as he flipped it open. "He's been with me for about three months and we made a major break through two weeks ago. I really hate to leave him at this point-"

Her sentence was unexpectedly cut off. She gasped sharply and winced, the pain clouding her mind.

Immediately concerned, Dr. Redmond looked up. Riley had her eyes squeezed shut, as well as her hand resting on her swollen belly. "Mmm," she uttered as her other hand reached behind to support her back. Her whole body was struggling to get through this.

"Almost there, huh?" He mentioned sympathetically.

"No, no. I'm fine." She forced a smile through the pain, and waved off his concern. A few more deep breaths and she got a grip on herself to continue. "Okay... uh, David Lawrence. Like I said, I really hate to leave him when he's made so much progress, but it's not like I have a choice. I taught him a few techniques of Aversion Therapy, and I've done a minor regression analysis on him. I feel he's ready for a more aggressive session with that, but I'll leave that to your discretion. I'd like him to stay off of medication, though."

"Noted," He said, folding the file closed. "Okay, so I'll go over these and I'll come to you if I have any further questions..." He trailed off as he watched her wince again. "Or not... something tells me you won't be here tomorrow."

"Oh, I'm fine!" She hissed as she braced through the pain. She couldn't tell if that was the same contraction or if the two were just on top of each other. Riley took long deep breaths, easing herself though this.

"Really?" Redmond asked, remaining calm. "Because you don't look fine."

As the spasm at last died down, Riley took one more heavy breath and shot him a glare. "Don't be paranoid. It's probably just Braxton Hicks, nothing to worry about. Now, I need to get ready for my lecture-"

He interrupted at once. "Riley, that looked much too painful to be Braxton Hicks. That's the third contraction you've had in the last hour and a half. It doesn't take a medical degree to know what that means, let alone two."

"What's your point?" She grumbled, snatching one of the folders from the table. As she leaned back in her seat, she fanned herself generously, feeling like she was suddenly stuffed into an oven. Those damn hormones were at it again.

"My point is I've been through two births and three babies, so I know a thing or two about labor and women who don't want to go to the hospital." He explained. "How far apart are they?"

Riley grumbled. "About an hour, but that doesn't mean anything."

"It does mean that this is the last place you should be." He exclaimed sternly. "You're in labor, you really can't wait at a time like this. You need to start thinking about yourself."

With a skeptical glower, Riley answered. "Even if I am in labor, Greg - which I'm not saying I am - you and I both know that at this point there's nothing anyone can do. I'm not supposed to call my doctor until I'm five minutes apart and if I go to the hospital, they're just going to send me home until my water breaks."

"Maybe home's where you need to be right now." Redmond suggested. "I'm serious, Riley, if these contractions are just temporary, it's probably your body's way of saying you need to slow down."

Riley sighed with annoyance as she covered her eyes a moment. She didn't want to talk about this anymore. "I can't go home, I have a session late this afternoon, not to mention a lecture in a half hour that I've been preparing for for six weeks. It's too late to cancel, even if I wanted to."

Redmond thought carefully, trying to think of an argument. "Okay, how about this. I'll hand your last session to one of the junior therapists. Dr. Ziegfeld is pretty good, I'd like him to replace Dr. Deluca when he retires at the end of the summer. If he takes your session, there's no reason you can't go straight home."

Riley looked at him bitterly. "No. Greg, I'm fine, and I certainly can still do my job. Having a baby does not make me less of a therapist. I'll handle my day's work as planned."

He looked at her in amazement, unbelieving she was being so difficult. "My God, you are the most stubborn woman I've ever met! Most women would be ecstatic for a little time off before their baby is born, but it's like you're determined to put off labor indefinitely. I don't understand why."

There wasn't a simple way to explain herself, and so instead fell silent. She wished he was just leave, so she could be alone with her dark and twisted thoughts. One of the last people she could hide her feelings from was a trained psychiatrist she spent no less than twenty hours with every week.

"Oh," he sighed, the light bulb switching over his head. "This is because Spencer's not home, isn't it?"

"No!" She answered defensively, glowering at him.

That simply confirmed it for him. "Yes, it is. You don't want to admit you're in labor because he's so far away."

Riley wouldn't answer; just caressed her stomach. There weren't any kicks to respond. She often slept this time of day.

"If he were here, this wouldn't even be a discussion." Redmond continued. "I've seen him with you, and he wouldn't rest until he got you to go home."

That she knew was right, and that was only if she needed convincing. Her gaze as soft as she pleaded with her friend to understand. "I'm not in labor yet. You have to trust me on that, okay? I'm sure this is just some... preliminary event. I promise you, I'm okay and well enough to handle my job. You have to trust me."

He knew he had no other choice. Nothing he said was going to convince her of the reality, and even if it did, she wouldn't give in. She'd just have to realize it on her own... hopefully, before it was too late.

"Tell me, how does Spencer put up with you all the time?" He wondered with a shake of his head.

Riley laughed gently, closing her eyes. As she shook her head, she grumbled, "I really don't know, and believe me, I've put him through Hell a few times... after all these years, he's still such a mystery to me... I just hope he never stops."

She turned to Redmond, matching his smile. That was that, then. There was nothing more he could do.

"Well, I'll let you get ready for your oh so important lecture." He said, gathering all the files of his temporary patients. Riley handed over the one she'd been fanning herself with, and he set it atop the stack.

Before he got up to leave, though, he stopped, catching her eyes again. His look was serious, informing her how important it was for her to understand.

"You finish your work today, Riley, but I have a feeling, if you're not in labor yet, you will be soon. You need your rest. After your last session today, you should consider yourself on maternity leave."

"I think I can last a couple more days, Greg." Riley replied.

He was about to get up when he stopped, dead serious now. "That wasn't a suggestion, you need rest. If you come in tomorrow, you will be sorry."

"Is that supposed to be a threat?" She wondered. "This isn't a matter the hierarchy of the FBI tends to concern itself with."

"No, but I can call Spencer and tell him what's going on." He explained.

She gaped at him a moment. "You wouldn't."

"In a minute." He insisted. "You stay home tomorrow and rest. And I don't want to see you until after you have that baby. Okay?"

With a roll of her eyes, she answered, "Okay."

Feeling victorious, he grabbed his stack of files and stood to leave. A buzz sounded on the phone on the coffee cable, startling both of them. Wiggling, Riley struggled to sit up enough to get to the button. She was certainly going to be happy once her center of gravity got back to normal.

"Yeah, CJ, what is it?" Riley asked as Redmond shot her one more smile at the door. She waved him goodbye as the assistant replied.

"There's a call waiting for you on Line 1, but they insisted to make sure you weren't busy before taking it."

Riley was stunned. She hadn't tried to make the call yet... maybe he beat her to it.

"Who is it, CJ?" She asked. "Is it a man?"

"No, it's a woman." CJ answered. "Should I put her through?"

That was odd and strangely deflating. "Uh... yeah, I have a few minutes. Put her through."

CJ hung up and a moment later, the first line light up. Riley reached for it, answering as pleasantly as possible. "Hello, this is Dr. Reid."

"Dr. Reid, this is Chief Erin Strauss, I trust I'm not interrupting you." The older woman asked sternly on the other end.

"No, no ma'am." Riley answered, trying to keep her voice calm. Strauss rarely every contacted her directly, and when she did, Riley already knew the reason. Even after five years, she and Spencer were still worried someone would find out their secret, but it paled in comparison to the truth of Morgan and Emily coming out.

"I wanted to speak to you before you went on maternity leave. I didn't want to take this long, but I had to wait until we had all our ducks in a row." She explained. "I need you to do a psychological evaluation on a BAU member."

"Uh..." Riley wasn't hesitant, and surely Strauss could see why. "Ma'am, don't you think that's a conflict of interest? My husband works for the primary team, I'm personally connected to the other six members. I'm both emotionally involved and easily influenced, this doesn't seem like a good idea."

"I need someone with extensive knowledge of Agent Hotchner's team. You know them better than anyone in the Bureau. The agent I want you to evaluate is not a current member and, if you believe he's mental competent to work for the BAU and will work well with the primary team, then I will trust your judgement."

Riley wasn't really sure what to say, but suddenly things were starting to piece together. "I..." she started to say, but found herself at a loss for words, unsure what to say.

"I understand you're very busy, and you may have some reservations about this, but I'd like you to consider it." She suggested.

Finding her voice, Riley declared, "No, I'll do it... I'd be happy to, ma'am."

There was a pause before answered, "Thank you, I appreciate your assistance. When would you like to do it?"

The baby must be awake, because she suddenly kicked at her, reminding her of the ticking time bomb she was carrying. "The sooner, the better." She assured, her hand landed on her stomach, massaging it carefully, as if afraid the slightest touch would set it off.

* * *

Morgan checked the address on his phone. "No, this is the right place." He raised his fist to bang on the front door again. Someone had to be here, a light was glowing through the living room window.

After driving into Lancaster, Emily and Morgan searched for the current residence of Angela Summersby. She lived in a poorly kept part of town, and finding the right street was worse than difficult. They'd made it to a run down apartment complex and spent the last ten minutes waiting for someone to answer the door.

"I say we just break down the door." Emily mentioned as she leaned on the icy balcony, her arms folded to battle the chilling cold. The sky was at least clear, indicating the supposed storm hadn't reached them yet, if it even would.

"Don't think I haven't thought of that." Morgan pounded louder this time. "Angela Summersby, please open the door."

He pounded much longer this time. He stood back to wait, deciding in a moment, breaking in was going to be his only option. Finally, the door opened a crack, revealing a young woman with dark brown hair, mixed with streaks of pink. She had a sweatshirt bundled tightly around her, and met them with a sour expression.

"Can I help you?" She bitterly asked, scowling.

"Ma'am, my name is SSA Derek Morgan, this is SSA Emily Prentiss." They both flashed their badges for her to see, which her brown eyes examined with disdain. "We're sorry to bother you, we'd like to talk to you about Micah Bernard."

She hesitated, taken aback. "He's not here."

"You and he are involved in a group called DOME." Emily stated. "I assume you're aware that Micah has a criminal record."

She scoff, "Yes, I'm aware of that. It's no big secret that a lot of my group have served time. You don't need to be some goody two-shoes to save the planet!"

"We have no interest in your group, ma'am. Micah is a person of interest in a case we're investigating." Morgan explained further. "How do you know him?"

"Pretty well, he spends a lot of nights here." She leaned on the door frame as she poked her head out, taking a peek around. It wasn't clear who or what she was looking for.

"So he's your boyfriend?" Emily asked.

"Uh... I wouldn't necessarily say 'boyfriend'." She answered with a roll of her eyes.

"Can you account for his whereabouts last Saturday night?" Morgan questioned sternly. He made an attempt to see inside the apartment, but she made sure to block the view... or perhaps in an effort to guard something.

"Maybe." She answered. "Look, maybe if you tell me what you're looking for, I can help you find it. Who knows when Micah's going to get back-get here." She quickly covered for herself, making an attempt to step back and start closing the door.

There was a tinkle of breaking glass not too far away. Tiny, but definitely close. Emily noticed Morgan stepping away slightly, taking a look around. Sensing he was on to something, she tried to keep the girl distracted. "So he was here earlier today?"

"Maybe he was, does it really matter?" Summersby asked as she stepped out to look at Morgan. "Where is he going?"

"Have you noticed any recent changes in your boyfriend's behavior?" Emily said, remaining in front of her to keep her put. "Specifically, in the last month?"

"I told you, he's not my boyfriend. What are looking for down there, there's nothing there!" She called after Morgan, who had reached the corner of the balcony, poised at the four-way stairwell. He was acting on gut instinct alone, sensing he shouldn't turn away.

And then, it happened. A blur of blue and green dashed from behind the distant wall, heading to the stairwell. Morgan didn't wast a nanosecond as he chased after him. He had no proof this was their suspect, but in a circumstance like this, they couldn't let him go.

The young man was fast, but Morgan was faster. Emily had two choices at the moment, and since two people wouldn't catch the young man any faster than one, she stayed on the balcony. Leaving Angela Summersby alone would give her a chance to escape and right now, it wasn't wise to let her go.

Their doubts on his identity were diminished as Summersby ran to the railing, practically screaming down to the young man, "Run, Micah! Run!"

He's made it down the steps and into the courtyard, the open metal gate just a few feet away. A few feet too far for him, unfortunately, as Morgan pounded his heavy feet into the concrete, closing the distance inch by inch.

Once he was in range, Morgan reached out to grab him. A large pile of snow was lumped by the door, settled there after a snow plow shoveled it away. Morgan took the opportunity to grab the young man and toss him into the pile. White frozen flakes puffed up around them as Morgan stood over them.

"Get up," he ordered as he grabbed him by his collar. The young man shielded his face as Morgan held him firmly, getting right into his space.

"Why are you running, Boy?" Morgan yelled as he twisted his arms back tightly. "Where are you going?"

Emily turned back to the young lady, who looked down at the scene with panic. "Your boyfriend doesn't look too innocent right now, running from us like that. What could he be hiding?"

Her response was a glare as she uttered, "Go to Hell."

That was enough of a reason for Emily to take her in. She grabbed her arm, loosely but firmly, and lead her down from the balcony, following Morgan and Micah Bernard to the car.

* * *

A/N: Let me just say, that little bit with Strauss was very hard to write. :(


	21. Out of the Shadows

It was stifling in here. Truly, it was the result of her hormones going into overdrive, but it felt like the furnace was broken. Riley reached to grab one of her note cards and gently fanned herself, taking a deep breath as she brought up the next page. The image of a sallow man came onto the screen.

"Who can tell me the name of this unsub?" She questioned to the large class, almost every seat was filled. Mostly by cadets, taking notes and listening with interest.

A few hands shot up and Riley chose a twenty something boy in the second row. "Gary Ridgway."

"Better known as The Green River Killer." She continued flipping to the next slide, a scenic picture of a rainy forest with a beautiful stretch of river. "Ridgway killed at least 49 victims, suspected of killing over 71. He dumped several of them in the Green River that you see above, located in King County. Now, taking that information into account, who wants to take a guest why this posed a problem to investigators?"

More hands rose in the air. Riley indicated a blonde girl closer to the back who seemed very pleased at being chosen.

"Not all his victims were dumped in the river. Some were left in the woods where he'd return to visit them."

"Didn't he take some of them to Portland or something?" Another young man asked out of turn.

Riley thought for a moment, her mind feeling foggy this late in the day. "Uh... it's believed so." She finally answered. "It's a theory the investigators formed, but it was never proven. In fact, there's never been an exact body count of Ridgway's victims and several of the remains are still unidentified. And, she's correct, most of the bodies were deposited in the woods. Now-"

She was cut off as another contraction hit. Sharp and intense, as they'd grown to be in the last few hours. They'd morphed from the intermittent, unexpected surprise to a timely occurrence. She wasn't sure if that was an improvement on her situation or not.

"Are you alright, Dr. Reid?" A voice in the back in the classroom inquired. It was soft, full of concern.

Riley didn't take much notice of it, trying to get her bearings again, letting out a deep breath. "Yes, I'm fine." She forced a smile and struggled to get back on topic. "Now... taking all this evidence into account, who knows what posed the toughest problem for the police in this investigation?"

While the cadets considered that question, Riley took the opportunity to catch her breath. The pain was ebbing away, but she knew it was going to be back presently... she wasn't exactly timing them, but they were coming regularly.

Regular or not, they still weren't close enough to confirm labor. They were, however, enough to make her feel like she was in an oven. She wafted herself more vigorously, looking around for one of the cadets to attempt an answer.

"Is it because they didn't think to test DNA until the late 80s?" The third cadet blurted out in a hopeful manner.

"Not exactly, it's more about the profile of an unsub." Riley said in a partial pant. She was absolutely roasting. "I'm sorry, I know it's cold out, but could we open one of those windows a crack?"

A girl in the front row responded, "Sorry, we can't. Those windows don't open."

"Really?" Riley replied despondently. She wasn't sure how much longer she could take in this room. It wouldn't be much longer. "Damn. Okay, well... anyone else have an idea? Remember, think about the profile."

No one was venturing an answer, not wanting to sound stupid. Riley continued waiting, preparing any second to voice the answer.

A hand slowly extended in the very last row. In her days before the pregnancy, Riley might have been able to see that far. But with her dry eyes behind her thick glasses, the distance was a bit of a struggle. "Yes," Riley cried, indicating her one and only volunteer.

"Because the local media labeled him." The gentle voice from earlier said loudly, and Riley took notice of it this time. "Because the bodies were dumped in the Green River, he was named after such... the authorities didn't think to look anywhere else. If they had, they could have tracked him down sooner.

Of course he would know. Riley tried to suppress her smirk as she answered. "That's correct. And that's a perfect example why objective profiles are so important. If you're already bias toward the unknown subject, a proper profile of the killer cannot be formed."

With that, she took another breath, taking stock of her situation. She wasn't sure what was worse; her rising body heat, the habitual flow of contractions, or the constant ache in her back. Either way, she was desperate for this to be over.

"Okay, do we have any questions before we continue?" Riley voiced, directing her total attention to the audience. Half a dozen hands rose around the room. She scanned the crowd quickly in order to choose someone.

A young male cadet with reddish colored hair responded, "Uh… I know it's a little off topic, but… I was wondering what you could tell us about The Undertaker."

"The… Undertaker…" Riley said slowly, pretending to think as if it were something that slipped her mind. It wasn't as though he haunted her anymore, but at times the memory would rise and she'd feel a cold shiver down her spine.

"We studied him a few weeks ago along with the Green River Killer." He explained. "We learned you helped catch the guy."

"Um…" Riley thought carefully, wanting to get off this subject. Damn her slow witted mind, delaying her response. "I helped with the investigation, but it was the Behavioral Analysis Unit who was responsible for catching him. If you want to discuss it in greater detail, you should contact one of them."

"Wait doesn't your husband work for the Behavioral Analysis Unit?" The first female cadet questioned with enthusiasm.

Riley heaved a bit of a sigh, "Yes, he does."

"Oh, that's so cute!" Her friend beside her exclaimed. "Is that how you guys met?"

"No, we met… about a year before that," she said quickly, checking her watch. "We're almost out of time, so I'd like to get back on topic. Now, motivation is an important aspect to consider when creating the profile. Without understanding why a killer chooses… ah…" she winced again as another pain hit her. Yet, she forced herself to continue, "chooses… not only to murder, but who and how to murder can be crucial. We all… ehh…" she took more than a moment to breathe deeply, easing herself through this, "we all have motivations for the things we do in life, and criminal activity is no different. From mugging someone on the street to serial killing, there's always a reason for it. Understanding… understanding that… can describe exactly who you're unsub is…"

Her hand stroked over her belly in order to ease the pain. She blew out a heavy gasp of breath, thankful the pain had subsided once again. Every cadet was focused on her at the moment, and not in curiosity on the lecture. Riley tried to brush it off. She checked her watch again and saw there was nearly ten minutes to go. Plenty of time to go over a few more details and answer a good deal of questions, but Riley wasn't so sure she could last any longer on her feet.

They'd covered all the important parts, anyway. She hit the remote to clear the screen. "So, that is a basic breakdown of profiling. It does seem like a complicated procedure to the untrained mind, but in time, the process becomes so basic. You realize how, while individual we are, at the foundation… every person is made up of similar personalities. From how our parents raise us to environment, even down to our simple interests… we are very much the same."

It appeared to be a very successful presentation. Most of the kids seemed to enjoy the lecture. A few even clapped when it was over, but it was less than half a minute before they began to pack up their belongings. "If anyone has any questions, you can reach me by e-mail. Also, your instructor can field your inquiries and you can also contact members of the BAU on the subject or any of their previous cases."

Whether they heard her or not, Riley couldn't be sure, but they were too much in a hurry to get out of here anyway. Being their last class of the day, they were anxious to leave. Riley was casually gathering her notes and supplies. She should have been rushing to leave as well, having one more appointment today. She had passed off her last session in order to fulfill Strauss's request at a psych evaluation. It seemed, however, she didn't have too far to go to meet her subject at all.

He was waiting for the rest of the students to evacuate the classroom. They were all chattering and conversing while on their way out, taking no notice of either their speaker nor the remaining attendee in his seat. Within fifteen minutes, the last of the cadets walked out the door and the spacious room was quiet once more. Riley slipped her last folder into her bag before she acknowledge him at last.

"I assume you don't you have any questions." Riley announced as she leaned on the podium a bit, the stretch easing the pain in her back only slightly. It wouldn't last long, though.

"No, ma'am, I don't." He said coolly as he got out of his seat. He was dressed much more comfortably than the cadets did. Jeans and a flannel shirt over his gray tee. "I'm… rather informed on the subject."

"I know," She smiled. "You taught my husband pretty much everything he knows."

"Well," he uttered as he started down the awkwardly spaced steps, "about profiling, maybe. To this day, it never ceases to amaze me how much he knows, and it grows every day."

At last, he made it to the front of the classroom. Riley stood face to face with him at last, a man who could come into their lives so suddenly, and with no notice slip out of it once again. Jason Gideon.

Riley moved out from behind the podium, sighing heavily as she questioned him. "Please tell me you're the one that's been following me."

"I'm sorry," He answered with a shake of his head. "I didn't like sneaking around and watching you both from a distance… I just wasn't so sure if I'd be very welcome… back in Spencer's life."

"Well, I can't speak for him, but… I know him pretty well, and I think he'll very happy to see you again." Riley answered. "He seemed to understand why you had to leave again three years ago. And I think he'll be happy that you're back again… although, he may not understand exactly why."

"You think it's a bad idea I want to come back to the BAU?" He questioned with an interested glance. It was probably the first thing she ever noticed about this man. How easily he could study her just by observation alone.

"I wouldn't necessarily say a bad idea, but you did leave for a reason." Riley said. "It would take an awful lot of soul searching to overcome that reason, if it's even that simple."

"I've spent the last seven years soul searching," Gideon said with a shake of his head. "I remember, I told Spencer I wanted to believe in happy endings again… but even back then, I knew I could never just cut him out of my life. I had to be there for him, in case he needed me."

That was sweet. She gave a smile as Gideon continued, "I've kept track of everyone in the BAU and… I think recently, I've realized the proof of those happy endings has been right here all along, they just hadn't happened yet. You and Spencer are so happy, you're starting a family. Garcia's found someone just as unique and special as she, Hotch lost one love and now he's found another, even Morgan and Prentiss – two incredible, confidant, self-sustaining people – are able to find love and happiness with each other. Even faced with the same horrors every day, each one of you remembers the better side of life. And that's what I've been searching for all along."

Nervously, Riley asked, "You know about Morgan and Emily?"

"Oh, Hotch told me a few years ago." He nodded. "They're not as good at hiding it as they think."

"I'll say," She exclaimed. She just hoped she could warn her friends before they were caught off guard. "So Hotch is going to be the new Section Chief when Strauss retires. But she's not leaving until after the team's vacation in May. What made you come back now?"

With a chuckle, he indicated her baby bump. "I'd have thought that was obvious."

Riley smiled, about to laugh as well when she was caught short. She cried out in pain as her arm cradled her belly, another sharp cramping sensation rumbled through her stomach. As the pain raged through her, she leaned on the podium for support, just trying to breathe through it.

A gentle hand landed on her upper back, giving her few supportive pats. "It's okay," Riley assured him as she kept urging herself to breathe. "It'll be over in about a minute."

"How long have you been in labor?" Gideon asked softly.

She gripped to the wood on the podium with one hand, anxious for this to finally pass. It wouldn't be much longer. Her other hand pushed back the flyaway pieces of hair sticking to her perspiring forehead. Forcing a smile, she assured. "I'm not in labor."

He looked at her skeptically, "Riley, you've been having contractions all afternoon."

"That doesn't mean anything." She said as she stood up straight, as if to show she was perfectly capable of going on with her day. "Women can have contractions during their entire last trimester, and I still have three weeks to go. They're very unpredictable. Everything's fine. I'm sure by tomorrow morning, they'll be gone."

"But they're not unpredictable." He corrected, as if expecting this argument. "Riley, I timed you during your lecture… your contractions are almost ten minutes apart."

The fear in her eyes was as evident as the rising sun. She swallowed carefully as her hand lovingly stroked over her bump. "That could mean a number of things."

Gideon wouldn't press her to see reason as they others had been doing all day. His expression was caring as he focused intently on her, simply wanting her to understand her situation. And how quickly it could become serious.

"I know you're scared," He assured. "This is your first baby and your husband's so far away. You've probably thought about this a thousand times and this is not the way you planned it… but it is happening. Even if it's not time to go to the hospital, you need to start preparing to, and that includes taking the time to let your body rest."

This was not what Riley wanted to hear. She had time. Plenty of time, yet everyone was pushing her to jump the gun. It was very enervating, being so alone in this.

Well, she wasn't completely alone. A few playful jabs hit her insides, the kind she was used to in her belly, and Riley paused to take a deep breath.

"I intend to rest when I get home." Riley said with resolve. "And the sooner we do your evaluation, the sooner I can go home, so there's no point in wasting time."

Gideon may not have spent much time with her, but he'd heard a lot about her from Hotch. He knew she was as stubborn as Spencer and arguing would do no good right now. "Right you are."

"We can do it right here, I just need to use the Ladies' Room." She said.

Kindly, Gideon replied. "Take your time, I'll wait here."

Riley gave a smile and stepped out of the room. The restroom was just around the corner, and she walked as quickly as she could with tottering steps, rushing inside.

The room was empty and Riley was grateful. Once safely inside, she closed the door leaning against it, the pressure in her eyes building and building, unable to be held back any longer.

Her eyes squeezed shut tight as tears began leaking out like a broken faucet. Her hands rested over the crest of her belly. She couldn't let herself get upset. The stress was going to set off labor if she wasn't careful. Perhaps Spencer had been right all along. She should have just gone home, rested in bed for the new few weeks and just kept as relaxed as possible. Well, if there was one thing her husband loved, it was being proven he was right.

However, it wasn't too late. Her colleague ordered her to stay home tomorrow and that was just what she was going to do. By the morning, these pains would cease and everything would be back on track. She couldn't be more certain about that, and with that comforting thought, she wiped her cheeks and made her way to a stall.

Her mind, of course, had lost its keen edge. Normally, a seasoned therapist such as herself would be able to see the truth right in front of her. All too often, absolute certainty was, in truth, just plain denial.

* * *

The door opened to the interrogation. Emily clutched a thick file in one hand as she entered alone. Angela was slumped in a chair, one hand twirling a lock of her red streaked hair. As soon as she spotted the agent, she sat up and demand. "I want a lawyer."

"You're not being accused of anything, Miss Summersby." Emily said as she sat down. She flipped over the cover of the file. Flipping it around, she presented it to the young girl, revealing the picture clipped to the top, who was none other than Micah Bernard. "We would just like you to answer some questions."

A smug smile spread over Angela's face, saying again. "I want a lawyer."

"You know your boyfriend is talking to my partner in the next room. Now you know, if he's confessing to any illegal activity and you're involved or even knew about, he's the one who gets to make the deal. Not you."

"He's not my boyfriend and I want a lawyer." Her attitude was shifting quickly. "You can't question me now that I've invoked my right to counsel. So," she waved her off toward the door. "Bye bye."

"You certainly know a lot about the American legal system." Emily pointed out, folding her hands. She wasn't about to let some radical know-it-all boss her around.

"I was pre-law at Temple, and I intend to go to law school within the next few years." She explained. "Personally, I think it's ignorant that most Americans don't take the time to learn everything they can about their legal rights, but when you do what I do, you need to be informed."

"You mean your work with DOME?" Emily questioned.

She snarled slightly at the older woman and said with a tone that, were Emily remotely intimidated by this girl, would have frightened her. "I am not saying another word until I. Get. A. Lawyer."

She had an idea and knew, if it didn't work, she could at least leave the girl here to stew for a while. Let her nerves get the better of her. "Fine, we'll call in for legal aid." Emily said as she stood, heading for the door. "Not that it really matters. We really don't need your affidavit anyway. Once the bishops identify you and Mr. Bernard, we'll have all the information we need."

"Bishops?" She cried, sitting up straight. Something seemed to spark in that moment. Emily suppressed a smile before turning back around, giving her a serious glare. "What do they have to do with anything?"

"They've been helping us in our investigation." She was only fibbing slightly, but Angela wouldn't know that anyway.

"Is… Bishop David Yoder helping them?" She questioned with intense curiosity.

Emily paused just a moment, just enough to put her on edge. "Yes, he is."

"Well, then, he should be in here, too!" She cried angrily. "He's just as guilty as us the rest of us."

"I find that very hard to believe." Emily said with a shrug. She had a feeling they weren't discussing the same thing anymore, but knew if she kept stringing Angela along, she might get some real information out of her. "You just wait here until your legal counsel arrives. The closest legal aid office is 30 minutes away in Hershey. And if the weather sets in it might be awhile."

"No, you have to listen to me!" She exclaimed just before Emily closed the door. "If Yoder is blaming Micah and me for this, then he's just got a guilty conscience!"

"I'm sorry," Emily said calmly as she pushed open the door a bit. "You've invoked you're right to counsel. I can't speak with you."

Just as the door closed, Emily heard her cries through the intercom. "Okay!" She yelled. "I waive my right to counsel! Just listen to me."

To her left, she spotted Morgan watching the whole show through the two-way mirror. She flashed him a quick smile before wiping her face clean and reentering the room.

"Now," Emily said as she closed the door again. She took her seat and sat down quickly. "Were you with Micah on Saturday night?"

"Yes," she answered bitterly. "We're working on a… special project. With a few of the Bishops, including David Yoder."

"Special project, can you be more specific?" Emily asked.

Angela hesitated, her eyes darting to the floor. Emily heard her feet shuffling nervously underneath the table, and she wasn't about to give up her innocence so quickly.

"Okay, look," Emily announced. "I have a feeling what you're about to confess is not exactly the crime I'm looking for. And if that's the case, unless you're intended to break a federal law or kill someone, the FBI is not interested in it. So, if you want to prove your boyfriend's innocence and keep you both off of Death Row, you're going to come clean right now."

"Death Row?" Angela's eyes were fearful and wide as she stared at the agent. "We didn't… oh, God, this is about those Amish families that were killed! We didn't have anything to do with that!"

"See, I'm not so sure about that." Emily replied. "Because Micah Bernard was making plans with a friend of his, who happens to be dating a child of one the murdered families. He was planning on kidnapping her younger sister so they could be reunited."

"Yeah…" Angela muttered. "I knew about that… in fact, I encouraged him to do it."

"Really? Did you know the little girl he was going to kidnap is Bishop Yoder's granddaughter?" Emily wanted to know.

Angela's jaw dropped a bit, her gaze falling away. "No, I didn't… I had known… I would have tried talking to him myself. Her sister seemed very determined to see her again, she deserved to talk to her family."

Emily leaned closer. "I'm going to ask you one more time, and if I don't get a clear answer, then we are done here. The other agents and I will take the evidence we have and most likely pin these murders on Micah." She was lying through her teeth, but Angela was too scared to realize that. "Now, what were you doing on Saturday night?"

"We were here in Pine Clove," she explained, much too timid to appear hard and threatening now. "Some of the people here contacted us about a month ago, they wanted our help in fighting the Lexington Corp."

"Yeah, we heard a rumor about that company. What exactly is that?" Emily inquired.

"It's a drilling company." Angela told. "They're a multimillion dollar company, there's apparently a lot of money in destroying the earth. They buy up small towns like this all over America when they believe oil is present. Sometimes, they're successful. They find oil and natural gas and suddenly the small town is on the map. They have plenty of money, state of the art school system, and the land is flourishing… but all too often, it doesn't work out. The land turns brown, farms die out and when that happens, the town has no choice but to shut down. This company is not only killing Mother Earth, but it's wrecking our country! People are too blinded by dollar signs to see the truth that they are destroying our lives and the future for our children."

Emily nodded, "I see. You're very passionate about this."

"Well, a lot of people in this town are falling for their lives, but there are still enough to fight. And not only do we have the town members, the Amish are on our side."

"I see," Emily said. "They certainly can't take the risk of losing their land."

"They would never sell to a corporation like this. Either way, drilling here is bad for them." She continued. "We're setting up a meeting for this coming Sunday. Normally, we do something big and theatrical and can demonstrate the threats people are too blind to see… but Bishop Yoder has some better ideas. He thinks things would be better if we remain peaceful."

"If that's the case, why were you so frightened to tell me the truth?" Emily demanded.

"Because we needed dirt on Lexington!" Angela cried. "Micah contacted his friend Brian Rosenplatt. They went to school together. Brian minored in computer sciences in college, so he knows his way around an algorithm."

"You hacked into Lexington's computer network?" Emily wanted to know.

Angela opened her mouth to answer, but closed it again and swallowing hard. "Are you sure I don't need a lawyer?"

"If you keep cooperating, you have a chance at making a deal." She was obviously put off by that, but it was better than jail time. "So Brian's been involved with your group and Bishop Yoder?"

"No, it was the deal he and Micah made. I arranged it so Micah would help him get Anna if Brian would help us hack in. Brian can do this thing where… I don't know how, but he can take control of another person's computer and use their connection to surf the internet. He was all the way back in Lancaster when he did it. He never even met Bishop Yoder."

"I see," Emily muttered. "And where was Micah when this was happening?"

"With me," she answered at once. "He's not the sharpest tool in the shed, but he'll take orders. Especially from me."

"And how do we know those orders weren't to keep up your end of the bargain by going after Anna?" Pressed Emily. "He could have easily broken into their home and slaughtered that family, especially if he'd done it before."

Angela shot her nasty glare. "Don't you dare pin this on him, he's gotten in trouble, but he's not a bad kid. Micah wouldn't hurt a fly. And, since you're obviously so smart, tell me why would he kill Anna if keeping her alive was part of the bargain? I told Micah he wasn't to touch Anna until after we got the information and it was presented at the town meeting. We weren't even to put that part of the plan into effect until after this Sunday."

Taking just a moment, Emily considered this carefully. "Well, you know this doesn't look good for you right now. You can be charged with both Computer Hacking and Conspiracy for Kidnapping, but the good news is, we can clear you for any counts of murder, and that's where my jurisdiction ends." Standing, Emily pushed in her chair and grabbed Micah Bernard's criminal record. "You may want to call that lawyer now."

Without a second look, she walked out of the tiny room. The door closed as she entered the hall, meeting the awaiting expressions of her partner outside.

"Well, there goes that lead." Morgan announced. "Micah didn't even ask for a lawyer, he just rolled over on her."

"You know," Emily had been considering something since they brought the two suspects in, and now it made even less sense. "If Micah hadn't tried to run when we got there, we never would have had any reason to suspect he was guilty of anything."

"So he's poor under pressure." Morgan shrugged. "It's not the first time we got our hands on a spineless worm and it will not be the last."

"Exactly, he's weak and scared, and knew hacking into the Lexington Corp computer system was wrong as well as kidnapping an innocent girl. Does that sound like sexual sadist to you?"

"Sadists are usually sociopaths." He agreed. "And they don't choose their victims at random, they study them for a while… they pick them specifically."

Emily answered, "Something doesn't add up, though. If the unsub were studying these families for a while, people in the community would have noticed an outsider hanging around. A man like that would have stood out like a sore thumb in that community."

A long silence followed as Morgan had an epiphany. "Not if he's one of them."

* * *

Reid drained the last of his cup, his coffee cold now. He couldn't sit anymore, pacing slowly around the waiting area. Sarah was sitting quietly as she had in the car. He was grateful she was occupied in prayer. There wasn't much he could say to make the situation better.

Everyone has their breaking point, however, and at last Sarah reached hers. "What is taking so long? Shouldn't she be back by now?"

"Well, surgery's complicated." Reid affirmed. "It's better they take their time."

She heaved a sigh. "My mother always said I never had any patience. I was always in a rush to get to the next thing."

"Trust me, good doctors don't rush. They'll want to be thorough with your sister, especially since this is the second time they're operating on her." He said. "Hopefully, they won't have to do it again."

Sarah couldn't help but watch him for a moment, intrigued. "You seem almost as worried about her as I am."

Reid stopped walking as he considered that a moment. "I guess I am… I don't know why. I try not to get attached to victims on cases… it helps to remain objective."

"Wow," She admitted. "Do you deal with a lot of horrible stuff like this in your work?"

He wasn't sure if she meant victims like Anna or just serial murders in general, but either way, Reid was not about to scar her with the truth. "More or less."

He was saved anymore questions as the resonating click of heels sounded down the hall. The hardened social worker who'd been assigned to the case yesterday had finally returned, looking rather severe.

"Dr. Reid, I didn't expect to see you back here." She said as she swung her bag onto one of the empty chairs. "I was under the impression you understood Anna Lambright has been placed in my care."

"Who are you?" Sarah asked, concerned.

"I understand and my intention is not to interfere with your work." Reid answered. He was polite, but hard and stern at the same time. He wasn't about to be persecuted by a woman who hadn't bothered to be here all day. "I brought her sister to see her. She's family, she has rights."

Palmer wanted to argue. It was obvious, but knew she had no right to order either of them away. "I see. But she has been in surgery for quite some time. Surely, your efforts are better spent finding her attacker than pacing around a waiting room."

Reid knew it was in his best interest to hold his tongue, but with the lack of sleep he'd lost a bit of his edge. "Well, I thought one of us should." He responded as he pulled out his phone. It was after four. Besides the bad sign that Anna had been in surgery all afternoon, Riley should be out of her lecture by now. It was a good excuse to step away and get his bearings.

Turning to Sarah specifically, he ordered as he took out his phone. "I'm going to be just around the corner. If the surgeon comes back with an update, please come get me."

Sarah agreed with a silent nod. Reid left her alone with the insufferable woman. He just needed a moment. Sure, he could have just waited for her to call, but he felt twisted with worry and guilt and fear, what he needed right now was to hear the sound of her voice. It had never failed him before.

He made the call as soon as he rounded the corner. Only three rings sounded before a pleasantly voice answered, "Hello," she answered pleasantly.

"Hey, Sweetheart," he said solemnly, already feeling better. "I know you said you were going to call me, but I had a moment free and thought I might catch you. I'm not disturbing you, am I?"

"Right now, no." Right beside the opened class door was a bench. It looked very comfortable and as she reached it, Riley eased herself into a seat. Her puffy feet were delighted at the relief, although her back was still screaming in pain. "I just finished my lecture, actually."

"Great, how did it go?" Reid wondered. He was trying sound as interested as possible, but it was obvious his mind was somewhere else. What could this case be doing to him, she couldn't help but worry.

"Good." She answered. "I think you would have liked it."

"I don't know," he couldn't help but tease her, "I probably would have been too distracted by the cute teacher."

"Oh, you mean the big, puffy teacher who had to take about five breaks during the lecture just to run to the restroom." She joked. "I think you might have been right. It was a bit much to handle when I'm this far along."

He was smiling so wide, he was sure she could hear it. "I'm sorry, could you say that again? I couldn't quite hear you on this end."

With a sigh, she grumbled. "You were right."

"I was, wasn't I?" he questioned smugly.

"Well…" she took a deep breath, almost like she were waiting for something. And frightened, no less. "I wanted to say I'm sorry. I accused you of being overprotective, and I still think you are, but… I didn't even realize how stressful the last month can be. Maybe I should have started maternity leave a little earlier. I could use so time to relax."

"Yes!" Reid cried out ecstatically. His voice echoed through the halls, certain the woman could hear it from their seats. He lowered his voice again. "Yes, that's what I've been saying! I've been so terrified since the accident that something was going to happen to you and now… it's more crucial than ever. I just want you to be healthy and safe and… comfortable. It's all that matters to me."

"I know," said with a sigh. "I've just been trying to keep things the same in our lives… but I think I need to realize that life is never going to be that way again… and we can't expect it to be calm again for a very long time."

"That's very true." He replied. "Even new parents like us can figure that out. So, does this mean you're going to start your maternity leave now?"

She said pleasantly. "Yes, it does."

He smiled with relief. "Thank God."

If only she knew to leave well enough alone. It would have saved them both a lot of trouble.

Riley added, never thinking what repercussions would follow. "I kind of have to anyway. Greg made it clear I'm not allowed to come back until after the baby's born. I just have one more thing to take care of today, and you're not going to believe what it is-"

Before she could even get to the good part, Reid interrupted her. "Greg… as in Dr. Redmond?"

"Yeah," Riley answered like it was nothing. "He's the other attending in my office, you know that."

"Yes, I know that." His tone was not light anymore. He wasn't even trying to sound pleasant. The good feeling he had just seconds ago was fading away very rapidly. "I made it a point to know and learn about every person you work with."

"Spencer, don't start." Riley ordered. She did not want to get into this argument again. Especially now.

"I'm just saying, it's a little upsetting that you listen to a devious colleague instead of the man you've chosen to spend your life with!"

"You know what's upsetting?" Riley cried, heated. "Ever since I came back from Seattle, you seem to think every male doctor I work with is a devious fiend. I think if my fellow attending were obsessed with me, he would have acted on it by now, don't you think?

"Yes, and I'm sure you would have said the same thing about Dr. Andrews before he drugged you and gagged you after nearly stabbing me to death." He quipped inordinately.

"Spencer," she said in a dangerous hiss. "That was five years ago. Dr. Redmond is my friend. You need to get it through your brilliant head that he is not Andrews. Can you comprehend that?"

"More than I can comprehend the fact that the same advice I've been saying for weeks to keep you healthy and safe meant nothing until he said it." He snapped.

"That is not true!" Riley shrieked. "Your concern means everything to me!"

"Well, you have a very poor way of showing it-" He yelled.

"Dr. Reid!" Sarah called as she rushed around the corner. Reid cut himself off at once, whipping around to see her. "Anna's surgeon's just got here. He's waiting."

Reid cleared his throat before giving her an agitated nod, returning to his phone. "I can't talk about this anymore. I have a job to do."

Riley hesitated a moment before she answered with a strangled, "Fine." It almost seemed like she had force herself to answer. He really hoped she wasn't crying.

That thought alone gave him back some perspective. He said, rather unenthusiastically, "I'll call you tonight."

He wasn't too surprised when she replied with a bitter "Don't bother" before the line went dead. It still hurt, though. He stared at the screen of his phone, debating whether he should call her back and apologize… but unfortunately, he was always too stubborn for his own good.

Sarah had waited for him. Ready now, he followed her back down the hall where the surgeon was finishing up with the case worker. He was stepping away just as they arrived.

"Wait!" Reid cried. He had so many questions, this man couldn't leave. The doctor didn't listen, though. "What's going on?"

"Well, it seems Anna's having some trouble. After all that time unattended, her injuries had an opportunity to deteriorate at her insides. It's affected some of her internal systems and they're having trouble controlling the bleeding."

"Oh, my goodness," Sarah said, her hand covering her heart. Instinctively, Reid put his arm around her. He knew she'd be grateful for that.

"Did he say what her chances are?" He questioned, keeping calm.

Palmer replied, "It's touch and go right now. First, they have to see if she'll be able to wake up, which indicates there's not much anyone can do for her right now."

"Which is your subtle way of asking us to leave." He added.

"Well, there's really no reason for you to be here." She said as she folded her arms. "You, Agent, are not family and I'm sorry, Miss, but until I receive other confirmation, I'm in charge of her legal and medical decisions. I think it's best both of you leave until she begins to show improvement."

Sarah felt tears in her eyes, "But she's my sister!"

With a softer attitude, Palmer insisted, "I know… but this is one of the times rules need to be followed. Now, if you'll excuse me."

She grabbed her bag and headed down the hall. Sarah stood back, despondent, unsure what else to do.

"How am I supposed to know if she's getting better if I can't be with her?" She asked, her tear-filled eyes looking to Reid.

"You let me worry about that." He assured. "I'll keep an eye on her. I'm not sure why your grandfather hasn't stepped in yet, but once he does, you'll have your chance."

"No I won't," she answered. "Once Grandfather is here, he'll never let me near her."

"We'll see about that." Reid nodded.

His phone rang at that moment and Reid grabbed it excitedly. It wasn't until it was out of his pocket did he realize the ringtone was for the team. Not exactly who he wanted to speak to.

"Reid," he said as he answered.

"Hey, kid." Morgan said on the other end. "Can you get away right now?"

"Yeah, actually, we were just about to head back to the station." He wondered.

Morgan was in full voice as he answered, a sign he was feeling positive about a current situation. "Good, because we need you back here, kid." He said. "We're ready to give the profile."

* * *

A/N: It wouldn't really be a true Reid/Riley story if they didn't get into at least one fight. Nor if at least one of them is put into mortal peril... and I may have said too much. :)


	22. Shaken

"I don't think I've ever seen the squad room this full, have you?" Peele said to Lemont late that afternoon. Indeed, every available police officer had gathered to hear the coming profile.

The captain stood with her arms folded, watching as the men and women piled in. She had such a surly expression, almost angered at seeing her precinct turned upside down, giving orders to her subordinates without checking with her first.

"What's your problem?" Peele pressed. "We're finally getting a break in this case, I thought you'd be more relieved by this. I know I am."

"I wasn't aware the FBI was going to turn my station into a three ring circus." She complained. "It seems ever since they've gotten here, this place has become another world. And I'd like to know what's taking them so long right now!"

With that, she stormed off, heading towards the conference area. She caught the tail end of their private conversation.

"Do you really think that's the right way to go?" Emily wondered. "Morgan and I have already talked to them and they acted like we were devil worshippers."

"They're just frightened." Rossi pronounced. "Their families and friends have been murdered, and now all these outsiders have come in and invaded their homes, it's a lot to take. We just need to be a little more understanding."

"Besides, they have to know the danger they're facing." Added Hotch. "A killer is among them. I don't think it'll be very hard to track him down, but until the community realizes he's dangerous, they'll protect their own kind at all costs."

"Excuse me," Lemont exclaimed, making her presence known. "May I ask what's going on here? I thought you about to tell us who our killer is."

"Actually, Captain, a profile simply explains what kind of person our unsub is." Hotch explained. "And we're just about to head in there, we're discussing something… which we can discuss later."

He gave serious glances to each of his agents, informing them this discussion was closed for now. They headed into the squad room, standing before the awaiting crowd.

Hotch was just getting started as Reid noticed several people walk in, far in the back. Their beards and attire could not be denied. He gave a nudge to JJ and whispered, "What are they doing here?"

"Hotch and Rossi have been talking with them all day, hoping they can get more of their cooperation." She informed him. "They thought it would be a good idea if they heard the profile."

Normally, it wasn't a good idea for civilians to hear the profile, especially ones who were personally involved. These were special circumstances, however, and allowing them to get a clear picture of how serious this was. And how important their assistance was.

"We are looking for a white man between the ages of 17 and 25." Hotch began. The officers were listening intently, or scribbling in little notebooks. "He is believed to be a sexual sadist who chooses specific victims to fit his needs, which have been festering for some time."

"While he's young, his desire to kill has probably been present his entire life." Morgan added. "If asked, parents and neighbors will most likely tell stories in which he committed the three marks of a future serial killer. Setting fires, wetting the bed, and cruelty to animals."

"As with most sadists, there's likely to be a long history of mental illness in his family." Emily said. "Schizophrenia, bipolar, also addiction to drugs and alcohol. He doesn't necessarily come from a broken home, but it is likely."

As she finished, Rossi spoke up next. "His desire to kill is also sexual in nature, however, he didn't discover those needs until he evolved in his work. He enjoys seeing his victims in pain, which makes him a sadist. While psychopaths will choose people at random, a sadist has a preference. He has the perfect person – or in this case people – in mind and takes time to observe them. Which is why, we are comfortable in saying… the unsub is a member of the Amish."

The news swept through the squad like the gush of a terrible wind. The officers were intrigued by this, never expecting such a thing. The bishops however were nothing short of offended, angry and disgusted at this news. As if Agent Rossi had just accused one of them of being the killer.

Reid tried to ignore them as best he could as he voiced his part in the presentation. "Sadists usually like to observe their victims for a period of time, sometimes even months, just to make sure they fit their ideal type. An English person would have stood out, many of the Amish would have noticed him sneaking around, possibly even reported him to authories like yourselves. One of their own, they may have noticed but simply written it off. Also, desires like this are considered more biological than environmental in nature, which is exactly why he's remained hidden in the community all this time."

Emily spoke up, adding to his point. "He'll definitely be a loner, and probably have a place outside of his home that he spends a lot of his time in. A place that's secluded and quiet. That'll be where he keeps track of his future victims as well as stores his trophies."

"Trophies?" One of the officers questioned.

"Killers like this usually keep something from each of their victims. It's usually something small that's both easily hidden and transported." JJ explained. "Usually it's a piece of jewelry, a photograph, we've even seen a case like this in which the annihilator took the father's wedding rings."

"It helps the killer relive the thrill over and over." Morgan added.

"So how are we supposed to track down this kid?" Another cop wondered. "It's not like he's going to jump out with a bloody knife while we're on patrol."

"We hope not." Hotch continued. "We're planning to discuss this further with the bishops and the members of the districts. Our hope is they'll be more obliging this time."

"Until that time, we request you keep to your usual routine." Rossi requested. "Also, look closely through the area for any abandoned buildings our out of the way hideouts, like caves or hunting blinds. Anyone in town may know of such a place, so leave no one out. Ask everyone."

"If you have any further questions, please feel free to ask." Hotch concluded. "Thank you."

At that, the officers began to stand, ready to get on their way. Reid, however, had been watching Bishop Yoder through most of the profile and his curiosity was getting the best of him. As soon as they finished, he hurried over, not letting him get away.

"Excuse me, Bishop," Reid announced as he intercepted him. The old man looked to him with same saddened eyes he'd first looked in yesterday. Even now, in the well-lit squad room, they looked as if they hadn't seen light in months.

"I…" he felt awkward suddenly, unsure how to say this. This man was grieving, he knew that, but he always wanted to know what was keeping here. It couldn't be because he wanted to help with the case when he and his fellow clergymen were still so adverse to the idea.

"I just wanted to know why you're not… with your granddaughter." He said at last. "Someone did tell you we found her, didn't they?"

"Yes," He replied, his voice was dull. "I was told that last night and informed on her condition. Thank you for finding her."

He was just about to step off, but Reid moved to cut him off. "Sir… pardon me for asking, but… shouldn't you be with her? Anna's badly hurt, she's already had two surgeries, and her only companion is a dispassionate social worker. She needs her family right now."

"She doesn't have a family anymore." He informed bitterly. "They are all dead, each and every one of them."

"Except you." Reid insisted. "And her sister. But Sarah can't exactly get permission while the social worker's in charge. You on the other hand, have every right to be with her and… at a time like this, she needs someone who loves her."

"I cannot just sit next to her bed and continue to pray while she suffers and dies." He was getting angry and did not want to discuss this anymore. "I've already accepted that my daughter and her family are gone. I don't have the strength to do it again."

"You don't know she won't make it." Reid cried. "Anna's young and healthy, she could pull through this."

"If she does, it will be a miracle." He said as he went to walk past him. "I can't just sit by her bedside and uselessly pray for a miracle that won't come. "

Reid turned, watching him walk away. "I thought part of your religion was believing in miracles. Isn't that what the Bible says? To have faith in God in the darkest of times?"

At that, Bishop Yoder whipped around and the tears in his eyes were unmistakable. "I've devoted my entire life to God, Dr. Reid. I sat beside my wife's bed while she was dying and accepted His will be done, but I can't understand what kind of god would do this. Allow some dark soul to murder innocent people like my Naomi and the people she loved. Truly… I don't know what to believe anymore."

He stormed out of the precinct and Reid wondered if he were going home. Home alone, which was the worst place a person could be a time like this.

"Everything alright, kid?" Morgan asked as he walked over.

"Bishop Yoder's faith is shaken." Reid explained. "He won't even go be with his grandchild because he can't watch her die."

The guilt was evident about him and Morgan tried to reassure him. "Reid… you know it's not your responsibility to get him through this. We feel for him, but our job rests with finding the killer, not holding the hands of every family member who loses a loved one."

Morgan was right and Reid wasn't about to argue, but he still didn't feel right just letting him walk away. Then again, he didn't particularly have a choice. "What's going on?"

"Hotch and Rossi are talking to the other bishops… they wanted them to hear the profile so maybe, they'd realize what danger they're in. Maybe even help us inform the rest of their community. They weren't too happy about our accusation that one of their own is the killer."

"I can't say I'm surprised." Reid muttered, looking back at the two disgruntled bishops. "And I can't say, without the Amish community's help, we'll be able to track this boy."

"Not unless Anna wakes up." Morgan mentioned in passing.

It was an innocent comment, but it got Reid thinking. There was always a chance Anna would be able to describe her killer. However, it seemed now if the unsub were a member of her community, it was possible every victim knew exactly who he was. Anna might even be able to give them a name.

The only way they'd get that information was if someone where there with her. "Hey," Reid said, grabbing Morgan's attention again. "I think I'm going to head back to the hospital… if I'm not needed."

"How come?" Morgan questioned. "I thought Anna was still unconscious."

"She is," He answered, "for now. The social worker lives by her 9 to 5 life, so she's probably gone home by now, I could stay with her. When she wakes up she's going to be scared and confused and… I'd like to be there for her. I might be able to get some information from her that way."

He nodded. "You're probably right, let us know if anything happens."

"I'll try to be back in the morning." Reid promised as he hurried off to grab his coat and bag. It was beginning to seem like his only use on the case was taking care of that little girl… but then again, someone had to.

The conference area was empty as he grabbed his things, saving him from having to explain himself any further. Morgan could cover that for him. He checked his phone as he pulled on his coat, disappointed to see there'd been no calls in the last hour. Hopefully, he'd have some time tonight when he could call Riley again. Everything would be alright then.

* * *

Hotch said, trying to reason with the men, "There must be something we can do to convince you. Lives are at stake here."

They had gathered in captain's office, but their discussion seemed to be at a stalemate. The bishops wouldn't give in while Hotch and Rossi couldn't back down. It almost seemed impossible to come to a compromise.

"I really don't understand why we're arguing!" Rossi cried. "We're all on the same side here. We want to catch this killer and you want him to be stopped. None of us want more people to die and we want justice brought to those who have. So why can't we work together."

"You have indicted one of our people of being a murderer." Bishop Hooley announced. "How can any of our people trust you when that is your belief?"

"You understand, we're not demeaning your entire community, Bishops." Hotch insisted. "Just this one young man. Despite the fact you've chosen a different way of life does not make you much different from anyone else in the world. You're all susceptible not only to temptation, but mental instabilities as well."

"But there are no families who match that description!" Bishop Berkley cried. "My entire life, I've never known a person who comes from a family as you say."

Hotch corrected him. "Profiles aren't always exact, they're just an estimate of a person we're searching for. Besides, you live in a vast area. Hundreds of families inhabit these districts, and a person like this would have been well hidden to keep from ridicule and shame. You may know who exactly the person is and not know it."

"All we're trying to do is help your people and this town." Added Rossi. "How are we supposed to help each other if we won't try to help each other?"

That seemed to strike a chord with them. Berkley and Hooley looked to each other, seeming to have their only silent language. It didn't, however, appear they were about to give in. And Rossi decided to go for broke. The one point that would either convince them or bring the investigation to an ultimate end.

"We appreciate your position, gentleman." He said. "But the truth of the matter is people are dying. Your friends, your neighbors. Bishop Yoder's family was slaughtered and it's very possible, someone your love could be next. He's blended into your community; you won't be able to protect yourselves from him. The lives of your wives and children and grandchildren, they're all at stake here. You don't want to mean the difference between their life and death."

That struck a nerve. For once the bishops had nothing to say. They couldn't even look at each other, making no attempts to argue.

Hooley, at last, cleared his throat and finally gave a nod. "Perhaps you're right… if someone is hurting our families, it's our duty to stop him. What can we do?"

"We're never going to find him unless we get the entire Amish community involved." Hotch declared. "We need to call another meeting, and this time… we need your full support. With everyone on the lookout for him, he won't elude us for long."

At that, Hooley turned to Berkley and once again, they seemed to be in agreement. At least this time, it was in everyone's favor. "We'll ask the ministers to have everyone gather in the morning."

"Thank you," Hotch sincerely said. At least for a moment, they could breathe a bit easier.

* * *

Gideon's evaluation took about an hour. Normally, something like that could be done in half the time, but Riley promised Strauss she'd be thorough. Afterward, Riley was on her way up to the BAU to meet with Garcia as promised before going on. She wouldn't have mind going alone, but Gideon insisted on walking her up there. That was truly considerate, since Riley had gotten the impression he was anxious about going up to the unit again.

"Are you alright?" Gideon asked as they rode up in the elevator.

Riley seemed startled by that, almost like she had forgotten she wasn't alone. "Oh… yeah, I'm fine. Just tired. I think the contractions might be slowing down."

He knew that wasn't the case. If his timing was right, she'd be having another one within the next three or four minutes. He was positive soon she'd realize she was indeed in labor. Hopefully, before she got into some trouble.

"You've just been awfully quiet since we did the evaluation." He said. "I hope that's not a reflection on the results."

With a small, yet reassuring smile, Riley replied, "Oh, no. I usually don't reveal my findings to my patients, but… you'll be happy to know I intend to give Strauss a positive recommendation… to an extent."

"An extant?" He asked, more intrigued than offended.

"Please, understand, this is my medical opinion. I've never been a person who censors herself for the sake of another person. Especially when it involves so many people I care about, including my husband."

He nodded. "I understand."

With a deep breath, she turned to him, clearing her throat to speak clearly and concisely. "I feel you returning to the BAU is a good idea. Not only do you possess the talent and skill, but your head seems to be in the right place. In theoretical terms, it seems like a good idea."

"I see," He answered, keeping patient as he waited for her to continue.

"However…" she spoke slowly. "I'm going to recommend you attend regular therapy for at least six months."

He thought for a moment, staring at her. More like into her. He had the impression he was staring right into her, and was able to read her without a single word.

Finally, he asked. "You really think that's necessary?"

"Not exactly, but I also think it's a lot more than just a precaution." She informed. "You do seem capable of handling this job, but I still have to take your previous history into account. I wouldn't be comfortable just letting you back into the very surroundings that drove you away without monitoring you."

At first, she thought that would insult him. It was common nature that a person did not like to be told they were mentally unstable in any capacity. She'd never forget how much Spencer was metaphorically kicking and screaming when he was forced into therapy.

But instead he smiled and gave an approving nod. "I can accept that. I appreciate you being honest about it. Most people like to sugarcoat matters like this, but you're very professional."

Relieved, she gave a faint pleased smile before looking away. Her discomfort was not lost on Gideon, however, and found he couldn't help but ask. "So what's bothering you?"

The elevators opened as she looked to him in amazement. "Nothing's bothering me."

"Something's definitely upsetting you." He insisted. "You've been quiet since you came back from the restroom earlier. Did something happen?"

"Oh, it's… nothing." She answered with a shake of her head. "Spencer called me and… we got into a stupid fight."

"Oh, well that happens." He mentioned casually. They began to walk down the hall, slower than usual.

"I don't even know how it started." She admitted. "We were talking and… I mentioned my colleague, Dr. Redmond and he acted like I was being careless…" She wasn't sure how else to put it without going into detail. And the last thing she wanted to do was go into detail.

"Because your last colleague in that job nearly killed you, right?" Gideon questioned gently.

No surprise, Riley was a bit stunned, "Wow, Aaron really did keep you informed, didn't he?" She should feel violated about that, but there was always something about this man that made her feel she could trust him. Since the very moment she first met him, outside the funeral home. "Spencer's never really liked Dr. Redmond and I understand that, but that doesn't give him the right to act like a jerk because…"

As her voice trailed off, Gideon watched her lips fold close as if she were afraid to say what she just realized. "Because… what?"

Riley sighed despondently. "Because I obeyed Redmond's instruction… when my husband's been trying to get me to do the same exact thing for days and days." She closed her eyes in frustration as she uttered. "That's what he's really angry about and I couldn't even see it."

"It probably all comes down to the fact that he's worried about you." Added Gideon. "I bet if they had a way for a man to be in two places at once, he'd be the first to volunteer."

"Please," Riley said with a hollow laugh, "with the lack of sleep he's getting, that's the last thing his body needs."

That struck at Gideon and he looked at Riley with great concern. "He's not sleeping?"

"Not much, and when he does he has terrible nightmares, about me and the baby dying." Her face light up at that, "Maybe he'll talk to you about it. He tells me as little as possible and even less to our friends. But he might open up to you."

"I'll certainly try." He granted with a gentle smile.

That was good enough for her.

They were just outside of the office when the door opened. Garcia stepped out on her platform heels, holding steady a mug in hand. At first sight of Riley, she was indeed delighted, it fading a half second later as she spotted her companion.

She wasn't sure what to make of this, if even who she was seeing was real. For a long time she just stood stunned, without a single witty thing to say.

Gideon took the initiative to speak first. "Hello, Garcia. It's good to see you."

That seemed to bring her out of her amazement. She gave a dazed smile as she replied, "You, too, sir. This certainly is a surprise, we're we expecting you?"

"Not exactly," he replied, and shot a serious glance at Riley before adding. "I knew Riley would be having her baby in a few weeks and I wanted to be here for her and Reid."

Riley got the message. While the baby wasn't his soul intention for being here, he wasn't ready to reveal to the others he was coming back yet. It was wise to wait until all the arrangements had gone through.

"That's so sweet of you!" She exclaimed. "I'm sure Reid will be very happy to hear that, you can help me keep an eye on this one."

No doubt, Riley was about to retort with a snide come back, but was cut off again. She grimaced in pain, reaching to support her back. "Mmm…" she mumbled, stroking along the curve rapidly, as if that could ease the pain. "Oh, wow."

"Is that another contraction?" Garcia questioned in near distress.

It was important to remember to breathe through it. Steadying her breaths, she replied without alarm. "Yeah… but I can handle it."

"Still going strong, huh?" Gideon pointedly asked.

"Whoa, how many have you had?" Garcia exclaimed.

"Just… a few…" she stammered out.

"One every ten minutes." Gideon revealed. Riley shot him a foul glare that didn't faze him.

"Oh my God!" Shrieked Garcia. With a flamboyant wave of her hand, she exclaimed. "No, that's it! It's time! It's time to go to the hospital!"

"They're not even that bad." She said in a partial grumble. Even she knew that was a lie. "I just need to get home and relax, they'll stop soon enough."

"No!" Garcia cried with a shake of her head. "Sweetie, look, I know it's early. I know you're supposed to be on the schedule for another three weeks, but I think it's safe to say that's been thrown out the window!"

"Stop!" Riley exclaimed. The worst was over and the pain was fading away. It was easier to pretend this wasn't happening once the pain was gone. "Garcia, just stop, okay? Please! It is not time yet! I will say when I'm in labor and it's time to go to hospital, and need everyone else to stop stressing me out about it, alright!?"

Her eyes were cold and demanding, a gaze a rare few got to be on the end of nowadays. It was enough for Garcia to know to back off, however worried she might be.

"Alright," she answered, taking a step back. "I'm sorry, I'm just… trying to watch out for you."

Her voice was calm this time as she answered. "I know. But I'm fine… now I'm going to use the restroom and then drive myself home."

"Why don't you let me drive you home?" Gideon wondered, catching Garcia's eye for a moment. "Just because you're not in labor doesn't mean you're not tired."

"No, I'll be alright." She responded, and headed off to the Ladies' Room, leaving the two alone.

As soon as the door swung closed, Garcia rounded on the older man. "Is she insane? She's obviously in labor and she needs our help!"

"I know," Gideon answered, his voice careful and soft. "She'll come to her senses eventually, she just needs some time. I think the best thing anyone can do for her right now is give it to her."

He seemed so wise about it that Garcia had no choice but to trust him. She supposed he was right, anyway. If her friend wasn't going to be persuaded, she needed to realize the truth herself.

With a smile, Garcia uttered, "It was really nice of you to come here, sir. Especially all the way from Canada."

He chuckled at that. "I'm not surprised you were able to track me down. Not that I was hiding, but I was trying to keep off the radar."

"You have to get up pretty early in the morning to slip past my defenses." She in a bit of a flutter. "They've only gotten stronger since you've last been here, sir. A lot of things have changed."

"Speaking of which, I heard you got married a few years ago." He mentioned.

Her grin brightened as she fingered the skeleton key around her neck. "Oh, yes. His name's Kevin, his another analyst here at the FBI. You may have met him the last time you were here."

His expression was calm as he said pleasantly, "I don't think so, but I'm sure I will this time."

The way he said that had such a definitive tone, it made Garcia pause for a moment. He was saying a lot more than it first sounded, although she couldn't be certain. There wasn't a tell about his face that could give her a clue.

Behind them, the swing of the restroom door sounded and they turned to see. Riley returned to the hall, her face was ashen white and looked ready to be sick.

"Riley?" Garcia cried as she walked over. Her hand landed on her shoulder, "Riley, what's wrong?"

"I think… it's… time… to go to the hospital." Her terrified, glistening eyes came up to meet hers and said, her voice shaking, "My water just broke."

* * *

A/N: Since I had the second chapter ready to go, I decided to post it early. :)


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